Whispers in the Dark
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! I write for pure entertainment with no intentions or whatsoever to breach any copyrights!
((A.N. This story is getting so much more response than I ever expected! Yay! Thank you to Slyhterin4ever, GhostXNinja, Hao'sAnjul, Princessdarkfairy, shadow miko, Clairesa-chan, Shinigami Princess Yuki Uchiha, SiriusLuv17 and WinglessFallenAngel!! You guys r0x!!))
Thanks a lot for reading!! Hope you enjoy it
Chapter #3
…
Itachi bolted upwards with a gasp, blood spurting from his mouth. Pain shoots through him like waves, like his body is slowly being cut to pieces. Still gasping for air, the dark-haired man took a quick look around, trying desperately to determinate where the heck he was. His gloomy eyes stare at his surroundings; he can feel the gentle breeze caress his bloodied features, he also can smell the essence of burnt in the air.
Slowly, Itachi manages to stand up. At first his body trembles with the effort, his legs threat to let him fall at any minute but he stands firm and tries to ignore the pain.
He then sees the mass destruction. His dark eyes move towards the broken, burnt and dead trees. He also notices that the ground is unleveled; there were fragments of stones that did not match with ground, which he concluded that those broken stones might have been part of some building.
Suddenly a new wave of pain washes through him, this time more intense. Itachi winced in agony and accidentally looked down… and then he froze. His eyes widened as they traced what was before him, and with horror he looks at what seems to be his body.
Nothing could have prepared him to what he was looking at. Was he a ghost? Then if so, why was he experiencing pain?
In an act of instinct, Itachi swiftly placed his right hand on his chest. A long sigh in relief escaped his dried lips as he could feel the faint rhythm of his heart. If he wasn't a ghost… then… was he dreaming?
No, he couldn't be dreaming. Itachi stepped away from his other form and walked towards the detritus. He kicked a small rock despite the constant excruciating pain in his body.
"Dreams aren't supposed to be this real," Itachi muttered as his eyes narrowed at the destruction around him.
He frowned as his dark orbs turned crimson and suddenly his pain vanishes.
"I remember…," said Itachi as memories invaded his mind. His facial expression was filled with pain, yet he didn't feel any physical ache. The memories… all those memories were memories that he did not want.
Yes, he did remember the fight with his little brother. The hate that Sasuke's eyes displayed towards him, brought him the deepest sadness and at the same time happiness. Suddenly, Itachi eyes widened and his right hand rapidly moved towards his neck. A quick image of ridiculous pink-hair ran through his mind without warning. That girl… she had come to him. She had been here before. She had spoken to him… she had his necklace.
Itachi turned around and his crimson eyes analyzed his dead body.
What the hell was going on?
Tick. Tack. Tick. Tack.
There were purple rings around her dazzled emerald eyes, not only the purple rings were clearly visible but also the colossal bags under her eyes. Anyone that would look at Sakura would gasp and ask if she was feeling all right or if she was having any sleep. The latter was probably the question most would ask seeing that on the floor was her coffee machine and then on her lap was some white pills.
Not too far away from the small couch where she was sitting at, was a small table. On the table was a small object, more precisely a necklace.
Sakura eyes were staring darkly at the necklace. She had been staring at it for three whole days, depriving herself of sleep, simply staring, scared that if she looked away, the necklace would do something and destroy Konoha.
She had also been absorbed in her own thoughts, analyzing her situation and of course her sanity.
The necklace was a proof that she was not losing her mind. However, the pink-haired kunoichi much preferred to be losing her mind. She had no logic argument to what was happening to her.
Itachi was dead. She knew that… she was sure of it.
She heard that weird-looking Akatsuki member saying it so.
But did you really see his body? Sakura recoiled at her inner-self question. Her toes curled as goosebumps took over her skin.
His body… his body… she had seen it all right. But she had seen it… in her dreams? Was it really a dream? What the hell was going on?
"It couldn't have been just a mere dream! You're not supposed to wake up with… with…" Sakura green orbs stared at the necklace as if all the bad things that happened to her were its entire fault, "that thing,"
What was it then?
The question irked her for the pink-haired girl had no plausible answer. She was out of logic answers for there was not any.
The question felt dry against her throat, sick to her stomach and absolutely heavy-hearted. The question felt wrong… felt as if she was not supposed to be asking it in the first place.
"Sakura-chan! Open the door!"
Sakura jade-green orbs slowly shifted away from the necklace towards the door. She had completely forgotten about Naruto, the blond-haired boy had been knocking on the door since yesterday. Sakura had not answered a single time. She needed time, time to think, and time to try to figure what was going on.
"Sakura-chan… if you do not open the door… I… I will kick it open!" she noticed the slender hesitation in Naruto's voice, "Please Sakura-chan… is it… is it about Sasuke-teme?"
Sakura heart stopped for a brief moment at the hurt tone in her friend voice.
"Sakura-chan?-- what? I don't think- hey baa-chan that hurts!!"
The pink-haired girl emerald eyes widened. Tsunade-sama was here. Quickly she stood up from the couch and took a deep breath as she picked up the necklace. She stared at her surroundings looking for a suitable spot to hide it when suddenly a loud bang echoed through the room. Gasping, she quickly put the necklace on and managed to hide it underneath her garments.
"Sakura!"
Slowly, Sakura turned around. She heard the small gasps behind the blonde-haired woman. She didn't mind them, she knew perfectly well how badly she looked like.
"Sakura-chan… are you sick?" asked Naruto as he stepped forward, his bright-blue eyes stared at her in concern.
Sakura swallowed dry and bit her trembling lower lip. Guilt slowly consumed her as she stared at Tsunade-sama and at Naruto who both waited for a response.
"I…"
Tsunade honey eyes narrowed, Naruto stepped forwards.
"I… I n-need to b-be alone," said Sakura, her voice was trembling.
Tsunade sighed, "When was the last time you got any sleep?" Sakura stared at the blonde-haired woman who looked back at her with a stern look.
"Three days ago," Sakura answered the truth. She knew she couldn't lie at the Hokage. Tsunade-sama knew her perfectly well.
"Elaborate, Sakura," asked Tsunade as she eyed the coffee machine and the white pills on the couch.
Sakura opened her mouth to answer but closed it right away. Tsunade immediately read the hesitation, the scared look on the pink-haired girl. Whatever it was, it was not about the Uchiha boy. There was no sadness in Sakura eyes. There was something else, a glowing determination to keep her lips shut.
Naruto looked back and forth, from Sakura to Tsunade and vice versus. There seemed to be some sort of staring contest between both medic-nins. The truth was that he had never seen Sakura the way she looked like now. She looked worse than the day after Sasuke left the village.
"Sakura-chan…" Naruto whispered almost pleadingly. Naruto wanted to know what was upsetting her so that he could help her.
Sakura did not look at him for she knew if she did, her barrier would break down.
"Please… I need to stay alone…" both Naruto and Tsunade cringed at the pink-haired kunoichi tone of voice. It was frail and raucous.
"Why?" Naruto asked as he shook his head, "What's wrong Sakura-chan? Let us help you?"
"Naruto—" Tsunade interrupted him. He half turned to look at her in sheer confusion, "Leave us,"
"But baa-chan—"
"I said leave us," there was no more room for arguments in Tsunade's voice and Naruto understood it. He glanced sadly one more time at his pink-haired friend and finally turned around, leaving the room as asked.
"Tsunade-sama—" Sakura started, her eyes glued to the floor.
"You want to stay alone?" Tsunade asked but carried on not giving time for her apprentice to answer, "What about your duties? You are needed at the hospital; you are needed in your team,"
"I…" Sakura sighed, her eyes were starting to feel heavy, closing against her will, "I know… b-but there is something…" she slowly looked up, her emerald eyes boring into honey ones, "I can't explain… I really can… it's just there is something that I need to—"
"We'll carry on this conversation after you get some sleep," said Tsunade as she walked toward the pink-haired girl.
Sakura stiffened, as Tsunade was suddenly right in front of her. She opened her mouth to protest but felt something warm and soothing on her forehead. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized that it was Tsunade's doing… she wanted to step away, to fight back… but the darkness felt so good… it was calling for her… the whispers… they were tell her to give in. They were whispering, telling her to close her eyes.
And she did.
Shizune practically ran through the hospital hallways, ignoring the curious expression on the hospital nurses. She quickly turned left and spotted the blonde-haired girl sitting quietly on the floor, leaning against the wall.
"Ino?" Shizune asked, surprised to see her sitting in the middle of the hallways.
The blonde-haired girl head snapped up and blinked a few times as she looked back at Shizune, "Shizune-san!" Ino exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" Shizune asked curiously.
"I…" Ino seemed half hesitant, she stared at the hospital room door from the corner of her eyes, "No one is allowed inside," Ino shrugged, her worried blue-eyes told Shizune everything that she needed to know.
Shizune went over to the door and paused as she looked down at the sitting girl, "I'm sure Sakura is fine," she then gave Ino a small smile as she knocked on the door.
There was no response and Ino giggled, "Really… Hokage-sama doesn't allow anyone inside,"
Shizune ignored the blonde-haired girl and knocked again for a full minute, and then waited two more, before finally pulling out her lock pick kit and letting herself in.
Ino gave an encouraging smile at the dark-haired woman before the door closed and she was left outside again.
The hospital room was large and tastefully designed, but messy, there were many things spread through the room. Shizune stepped forward and noticed a sleeping Sakura on the hospital bed and a drinking Tsunade in a chair next to Sakura's bed. The sake bottle balanced precariously on the small table next to her. Shizune sighed silently and went to stand beside her.
"You'll get sick, Tsunade-sama," she said, resting a hand on the back of the chair.
"Shizune… what are the symptoms of a depression?" asked Tsunade as she spared a worried look at the pink-haired girl.
Shizune followed Tsunade's gaze, "Constant feeling of sadness… sometimes a depression can cause frequent hostility, frequent crying… there is always a change in eating habits and also sleeping habits and—"
"Sleeping habits...when someone is depressed usually wants to sleep as long as possible or simply the other way around. Sleep patterns become totally unbalanced," Shizune frowned at Tsunade explanation and nodded slowly, "Sakura… was trying to keep herself awake, she didn't slept for three whole days,"
"You think she's depressed?" asked Shizune as she watched the pink-haired girl sleep. She looked peaceful.
"No… at first when I first saw her, yes I did think she was under a depression but then the look in her eyes, something in the depth of her eyes told me it was something else," said Tsunade as her arm stretched towards the bottle of sake.
"Then-"
"She is hiding something from us," said Tsunade as she looked up to stare at Shizune, "you should have seen her face, she looked so committed, I don't think she'll let us know what is troubling her,"
"Tsunade-sama!" exclaimed Shizune, her eyes wide as she stared at the trembling sleeping girl.
"Sakura!" said Tsunade as she stood up, the bottle of sake completely forgotten on the floor. Tsunade hand covered the pink-haired girl forehead, "her temperature is hot… too hot! Sakura can you hear me? Sakura… wake up,"
Sakura knew where she was. She remembered it perfectly; she had been here the other two times. Her heart rhythm seemed to agree with her as it pounded strongly against her chest.
Though, she had been in this place before, everything seemed darker. She was unable to see anything, not even with a hand right in front of her. Only, able to feel the eerie foggy feeling that crept up her back.
Sakura felt like a bland man without a guide – her arms stretched out before her. She breathed in the cool air and tried to gather her thoughts, to calm herself down, to try and get something from it… but the air gave her nothing, no comfort, no fear; it was as if it was as clueless as she was.
A long sigh escaped her lips as she carried on walking. She wondered for how long she would have to walk, it seemed like she had been walking for hours. She knew that sometime soon, a white light would appear and she would have to chose, just like the times before.
She was going to walk towards the light this time. She needed to get away. Sakura was aware of what the darkness would lead her to, but she had no idea where the light would take her and she needed to find out. The idea of getting away from him pleased her immensely.
Suddenly, she came to a stop. She raised her arm at her eyes level to protect her from the sudden light that consumed half of the darkness.
She smiled softly as the light illuminated her. Her fast heart rhythm slowed down as she stepped forward to the light.
"Sakura! Her temperature is hot… too hot! Sakura can you hear me? Sakura… wake up,"
The pink-haired girl came to a full stop as she listened to Tsunade's voice. Sakura eyed the light in shock as she finally realised what the light was there for! She had a choice. She had a choice to walk to the light… and she would be all right.
Sakura bit her lip as she stared at the white light, as cold started to claim her body. She remained there for several minutes just contemplating the light.
"I have a choice…" she whispered to herself.
She now knew that she had a choice… but there was something out there… something in the darkness, waiting for her. The wanting to know what was happening to her burned in her heart, more than ever.
Like a fired furnace.
"I must be mad," the pink-haired girl told herself as she turned her back at the light.
"Completely mad," another voice answered her.
A familiar voice.
His voice.
Her eyes scrutinized his blank expression, his onyx eyes bored into hers. She trembled slightly under his calm and unreadable gaze.
"You've come back," Itachi said softly in a deep, pleasant voice. He sounded faintly bemused.
Sakura nodded slowly as she hid her trembling hands behind her back, "H-hai," she whispered.
It felt wrong to speak louder than a whisper. The whole encounter looked so dreamlike that the pink-haired girl feared that if she made a wrong sound, everything would be gone in a second like before.
Itachi turned his back on her and stared to the starry sky. Sakura bit her lip as she stepped forward and placed herself not too close and nor too far from him.
She could still smell the same-burnt essence in the air. She fought the urge to look around… she didn't want to look at… his dead body.
Sakura had so many questions but decided to wait for a little while. They stood there in the middle of the chaos absorbed in an awkward companionable silence.
It was the pink-haired girl who broke the silence when it became to thick to bear.
"How?" she asked softly forcing herself not to look at him.
She could hear the smile even in the darkness that surrounded them, "I don't know…" he answered her, his head slowly turned to look at her slender figure, "But... I'm afraid that I need your help,"
All of her efforts not to look at him were quickly thrown away behind her back. She jerked her head and their eyes met.
In the silvery moonlight that streamed down on them, he looked startling like Sasuke. Sakura swallowed dry and shook her head, trying to get their resemblance out of her head.
"You need me to find out?" she repeated the question barely audible, "How? I read every possible book… I thought about every possible situation… there is nothing that can possibly explain this! I thought y-you knew what—"
Itachi held a hand in mid-air and cut her in, "I can't waste time in trying to figure out what is happening," his voice was still soft but was now stern, "I need your help… my time is limited," he added as he looked down at her puzzled features.
"So… you're not dead?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
Itachi stepped forward and closed the space between him and the pink-haired girl. He slowly grabbed her arm and ignored her gasp. She trembled under his grip and stared at him with a mist of fear and curiosity.
Sakura lips parted as Itachi placed her hand on his heart.
There was a faint beat and her lips parted in shock.
"Not yet, kunoichi,"
a/n: What do you people think? Good? Bad? Confusing? Very confusing? Please review and let me know.