Ok so this is the 2nd to Last chapter, I'll be posting the last chapter up either tomorrow or the next day. Hope you enjoy thanks again for reading.
Chapter 19
Flashback
"You" Sakura said quietly under her breath, after she found herself running into Rena; whom was only standing just a few feet in front of her. Seeing her after two years, Sakura could tell a major difference in her appearance. She had looked, like an average girl; instead of a dolled up supermodel that she had always tried to come across as.
Still astounded to see her, Sakura nearly forgetting her earlier goal; checked a nearby clock for the time. Knowing that she was already running late for the trial, Sakura bit her lip as she knew she had just put herself in the ultimate dilemma.
Since having her memories back, this was the first time Sakura had seen Rena; since she assumed she was either still locked up or went home. And now with a chance to apologize to her face to face, Sakura grimly contemplates on what she should do.
"Hey… Rena," Sakura said after she waited a few moments before going up to her. Sakura wanted to be at the trial more than anything; but she knew first that she couldn't confront someone else for doing her wrong, when she would be doing almost the same thing, by ignoring Rena now.
"Ha Sakura, wow is that you?" She replied as she hadn't noticed her among the crowed of people."Rena, I'm well…" Sakura found herself stumbling over her own unthought out words.
"...Look glad to see your well, but I have to go." Rena replied, after holding onto her arm from her uneasiness being around her once again.
"Rena wait" Sakura said as she grabbed her own stomach after feeling some of her own uneasiness herself. "I've wanted to speak with you for some time now." Sakura said after she regretted the timing.
"Sakura save it, we've both wronged each other… and now I'm just trying to finish up my probation and then I'm out of this place." Rena said as she turned to leave.
"I'm sorry," Sakura tearfully said seeing Rena about to just walk away.
Rena not turning to face Sakura stopped at hearing the apology. "Rena it's because I was in such a bad place in my life back then, that I didn't care about you or anyone not even… me. I'm so sorry I hurt you." Sakura paused as she felt her regretful tears fall off of her eyelashes.
Rena taking a minute to process Sakura's words looked over her shoulder before speaking back to her. "Sakura, Thank you for your apology but the damage is already done. The best thing you can do for me now is to leave me alone, and I'll do the same for you." Rena finished as she started to walk off again.
"Wait we can still be friends, I just need another chance I can show you the real me." Sakura almost screamed out as she felt her heart race out of her chest, at not being able to fix the mess she made.
"We can never be friends again, because of you a good chunk of my life is gone. I just want a fresh start now that I'm clean and sober, so this is good-bye." Rena said before dashing off to get away from Sakura.
Sakura wanting to reply back, that she knew exactly how Rena felt; found herself fall silent when she realized Rena had sounded just like herself. Sakura shaking her head at the idea of being like Matsumoto; made her feel sick to her stomach, as the uneasiness evolved into stomach cramps.
Sakura instantly starting to worry about the crippling pain, carefully made her way over to sit on a nearby bench; as she tried to breathe through the pain and calm her racing heart.
Grabbing her cell phone from her pocket, Sakura dials her mother's phone number. However while she listened for her to pick up, Sakura feeling the pain getting worse, found herself unable to hold the phone anymore as she lowered her head while grabbing her stomach and clinching her eyes.
"Hello?...Sakura? where are you whats wrong?" Sakura's mother said on the phone, since all she could hear was Sakura's heavy breathing in the background instead of an answer.
"Hey you OK?" a Female stranger asked once she noticed Sakura, crippling over. "Hey hang on Hang on" the female said while quickly calling for help.
END FLASHBACK
In no time after receiving the call from Sakura's mother, Sasuke made it up to the hospital. However before he could go up to her room, Tsunade had waited up for him.
"How is she?" he quickly asked knowing Tsunade waiting meant it couldn't be good news.
"She's better she won't tell me what happened, but something spiked up her blood pressure and caused her to go into pre-term labor" Tsunade said when she took a second to pause; Sasuke felt his heart stop as he hung on every word she spoke.
"It's okay, I was able to stop it. But I'm invoking a complete bed rest, she will stay in the hospital at least until it's a safer time for the baby to be delivered if need be." Tsunade finished while rubbing her temples.
Sasuke taking in more bad news, only nodded his head at Tsunade's assessment, before turning to go up to Sakura's room. "Sasuke?" Tsunade said with a frown. "I heard about the verdict, don't do anything stupid Sakura needs you now." she warned knowing Sasuke's personality to well.
Sasuke not turning back around, left without a comment or a word to Tsunade as he made his way to Sakura's room.
"Sakura?" Sasuke said after he got up to her room; to see her lying in the hospital bed with her mother by her side. "Are you okay?" he asked next as he walked over to her.
"Yeah I'm fine, babies fine too." she reassured with a fake smile. "Sasuke I'm so sorry I was only gone for a bit." Sakura's mother said as she wiped a tear away. "It's okay everything is fine now," Sasuke reassured knowing that she would over worry if he didn't say something.
"How did the trial go?" Sakura's mother asked next.
Sasuke hesitant didn't reply right away until he noticed Sakura looking at him sternly before asking the same question. "Sasuke... how did it go?" she reinstated with a worried face.
"...It went fine he was put away for a long time, you won't have to ever worry about him again." Sasuke said, surprised at his own self for telling such a bold face lie. "Anyway so what happened?" he asked next quickly changing the subject.
Sakura now being the one to hesitate; thought before she spoke. "Well it was nothing, I went out for a walk and I guess I just got over excited, I'm fine now" she said trying to act like it was no big deal.
After his visit with Sakura and once she was fast asleep, Sasuke left her room to go straight home. Once he made it there he noticed Naruto had been waiting for him. "Naruto what are you doing here?" Sasuke asked seeing him, sitting outside his door step.
"I made you a promise," Naruto paused as he stood up. "If he got free… I'd help you take care of him remember." Naruto said with a stern look on his face.
"Naruto you don't have to… it's my burden besides; I need you here with Sakura." Sasuke said after walking past him. "In case anything happens to me, I need you with her to protect her."
"Sasuke what are you going to do?" Naruto asked again since he knew he was dodging his question. "I don't know what I'm going to do just yet. But Sakura is in no condition for surprises, I told her Matsumoto is safe in jail in order for her to concentrate on the baby. Keep her busy and I'll take care of him," Sasuke replied before opening his door to go inside.
Naruto watching Sasuke go back into the house let out a regretful sigh, before he put his hands into his pocket to walk away.
After the time struck close to midnight, Sasuke dressed himself up in some borrowed Anbu attire. Once he finished getting ready, he looked at himself in the mirror one last time before he quickly pulled the mask over his face.
Swiftly taking off, Sasuke made his way around before he jumped on different rooftops as he neared his destination. After perching himself on one of the various rooftops, Sasuke looked around to check out the surroundings of the court-house.
Finding his perfect point of entry, Sasuke skillfully made his way unseen into the court-house building. Once inside, Sasuke started to think back to the strange face the judge had made before court was adjourned. Searching for a door with the judge's name, Sasuke hurriedly picked it open once he was able to locate it.
Looking around the semi cluttered room; Sasuke goes through some files and papers that were still left out on the judge's desk. Sasuke finding a folder containing Matsumoto's name; carefully opened it up before turning a few pages of the document. Watching a random small piece of paper fall out from the folder.
Sasuke instinctively grabs it from the floor in order to get a better look at it. Looking closer at the item; Sasuke found himself become furious when he noticed the paper was actually a handwritten check for a massive amount of money.
Now having his answer about why Matsumoto was really released so easily; Sasuke almost ripped the check apart, before stopping himself. Folding it and placing it in one of his pockets and forcing himself to press on.
Knowing he didn't have much time, Sasuke continued his search of the various documents. Once he found the document he needed; Sasuke hurriedly made his way out of the judges room and out of the building.
Elsewhere, Naruto who couldn't seem to get Sasuke's words out of his head; had made his way up to the hospital to check on Sakura instead of heading home. Once he was almost up to her room, Naruto stopped in his tracks when he heard some screaming come from her room. Naruto on guard quickly dashed to her aid.
Once Sasuke finally got to another building, he sat himself infront of a dusty window of a small apartment. Scoping out the place, Sasuke quickly noticed the lights were out, and someone looked to be sleeping in the bed all covered up. Quietly Sasuke rose open the door, as he headed inside masterfully without making any strange noises; a skill he had perfected from practicing on Sakura's window.
While Sakura finds herself waking up from another nightmare, she is doubly startled when she noticed Naruto suddenly swinging open the door. "Sakura you okay?" he asked as he rushed by her side.
Sakura sitting up placed a hand on her head before running it through her hair. "Naruto… what are you doing here where is Sasuke?" Sakura asked once she noticed he was gone.
"He's fine I think he went home to get some sleep. I just came to check on you," Naruto said while giving her a nervous smile he wasn't comfortable lying to her face like that.
"OH? Thanks I'm fine, it was just a dream." Sakura replied while placing a hand over one of her eyes. Naruto wanting to believe her, couldn't help but notice a tear had started to roll down her cheek. "Sakura?"
Once Sasuke got inside the apartment, he pulled out his sword; as he got closer to the bed. Using the other hand to pull back the covers; Sasuke face twitches at seeing pillows stacked up instead of a human body.
"Sasuke it's about time you came to see me." Matsumoto said as he placed a drink down on his side table. Sasuke sharply turning, around found himself face to face with Matsumoto whom had sat in the shadows of the apartment.
"I see... so you knew I would come after you." Sasuke commented while lifting up his mask since he had no more need for it now.
"Of course, Sasuke I must apologize the last time you saw me you caught me when I was all out of sorts due to my brother's death." Matsumoto paused as he stood up to step into the moonlit part of the room.
"I have to thank you though, I only thought about dying and revenge I didn't want to go on. But being in jail has changed my whole perspective on things. I've learned I really won't be satisfied until I end your life with my own two hands…That I want to experience it for myself." Matsumoto preached as he walked closer to Sasuke.
"So, Uchiha lets end this now, you and me..." Matsumoto said happily with big eyes. "Fine, let's do it." Sasuke reinstated while his eyes changed along with his expression.
"Before we get this started, lets set some rules." Matsumoto said while taking off his jacket. "Rules?" Sasuke replied as he gave him a semi puzzled look.
Once Matsumoto threw his jacket down on the ground, Sasuke noticed he had drastically changed physically; as his body looked like a body builder, instead of a svelte man he had seen before. On top of that Sasuke also could see the various scars and healed wounds on his body; a clear sign of numerous fights.
"You see being locked up, has changed more than my mentality. I was always relying on others to do my dirty work for me. Until one day, I had a run in with another prison inmate; who only let me live because I begged for my life... Disgusted at how I acted fearful and like a cowered, without the help of my money or influences I realized I was nothing. So from that day on, I fought for my life and realized I lived solely for seeking revenge on you." Matsumoto finished while he stretched out his fingers.
"The only two rules I'm invoking, rule one we only use our bare hands, and rule two… winner is the one that walks out alive…lets start." Matsumoto said while beating his chest.
"That sounds more than fine to me; just don't beg for mercy because there won't be any." Sasuke said before he dropped his sword and charged after Matsumoto.
Once Naruto saw the tear from Sakura's eyes, he finally was able to get her to confess what was really on her mind. "Sakura i know you...what's wrong?"
"Sorry...it's just I tried to go to the trial today and before I got there I saw Rena." She paused as she clinched her fist. "I'm so stupid I was so hellbent on fixing things with her and seeing the trial that I almost could have lost my baby." Sakura paused as more tears fell down her cheek.
Naruto not knowing what to say, noticed after he had grabbed Sakura's hand her expression grew more severe; quickly realizing why Sasuke had lied to her. Naruto got to work on cheering her up.
"Sakura, don't worry believe Sasuke...Matsumoto is long gone, and sometimes it's hard to forget the past but I think you've more than made up for it. Now is the time to fix your own past by concentrating fully on the baby." Naruto said while standing up from his seat before almost leaving the room.
"... oh and if anything ever does happen, me and Sasuke will be here no matter what this time were not going anywhere." he finished with a big smile.
Seeing his calm face, and hearing his words made Sakura smile back as she placed a hand on her stomach. "Thanks Naruto,"
Physically fighting each other for almost 2 hours, with each side landing respectable punches. Sasuke quickly gets the upper hand, as he laid a nice blow to Matsumoto's midsection he had left open.
After falling to the ground, holding his stomach. Matsumoto quickly noticed Sasuke's sword sitting infront of him.
"Is that all you can do? Pathetic don't worry I'll make your death quick but painful." Sasuke said while cracking his knuckles.
Matsumoto angry over Sasuke's taunts, looked at his bruised up face in the sword's reflection. Matsumoto seeing his face cursed under his breath, despite him training in combat for the last few years; he knew he was losing this battle due to Sasuke's incredible speed and battle experience.
Seeing a hint of his brothers reflection stare back at him and growing angrier at losing. Matsumoto at his wit's end turns to grab Sasuke's sword.
"What?" Sasuke voiced as Matsumoto used Sasuke's own sword to slash the side of his arm.
"What happened to your rules?" Sasuke hissed after grabbing his bloody arm. "I haven't forgot i just skipped to rule two, winner walks out alive." Matsumoto screamed as he had enough.
Looking sternly at him, Sasuke pulled out his other hand as he charged up some chakura. "This is it then...this ends now." Sasuke said as he readied himself for one last attack, Matsumoto agreeing and smiling back readied Sasuke's sword as they looked at each other.
Without saying anything more, and running full speed at each other Matsumoto and Sasuke's attacks did the final talking.
After some blood dripped to the ground, and Matsumoto's knees buckled; Sasuke slowly standing up finally breathed a sigh of relief before looking down at Matsumoto's body.
"I see now I would have walked your path if it wasn't for my friends stopping me a long time ago... I'm just sorry you weren't as fortunate as me." Sasuke said after he tilted his head up before pulling his sword from Matsumoto's hands.
Noticing the sun getting ready to rise soon, Sasuke reaches into his pocket before pulling out the slip of paper he had earlier. " Looks like I have one more thing to take care off." He said to himself before leaving.
"What do you mean its gone... I'll be right there" said a women after hanging up her phone.
"Up early aren't we...Judge"Sasuke said while he sat in the dark hallway startling her after she left her room. "who are you?" she asked as she had to turn on a light.
"You?" She shouted as she tried to go for her phone once again to call for help. "I wouldn't if I were you." Sasuke replied as he held out the paper check.
"I know about your deal with Matsumoto, and if you don't follow exactly what I say I promise I'll expose you to everyone." He said with red eyes.
sorry had to edit this chapter from my phone I'll try to fix any errors i come across, I'm in the middle of my move but i want to post the other chapter soon as well.