A/N: I seem to be posting later and later…lol. Also, please don't bring the dead back to life, it's not a very healthy habit. That goes for killing people too… I feel like I've fallen too far into insanity now due to week one's theme… lol.

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto; this fanfic, however, belongs to yours truly.

Day 8: Twist of Fate

They had been married for years; Uchiha Sakura, the first legally practicing doctress in London and Uchiha Sasuke, a renowned scientist. Everyone knew him to be especially devoted to his lovely wife; more so than ever when she became frail and sickly. However, he was prone to disappearing from the house only to return at the most unusual hours these past few weeks…

Uchiha Sakura was reading the papers at the dining table as her husband entered the dining room; he received his serving of breakfast with a slight nod of thanks from their live in maid. Sasuke then turned towards his wife with a single brow raised,

"You're up rather early this morning…" He commented as Sakura nonchalantly flipped the pages of the paper. Sasuke pointed at her untouched plate with a fork,

"Sakura, you should eat before breakfast gets cold. The paper won't be running away from you anytime soon." He advised before turning his attention back towards his own plate. Sakura folded the paper and placed it by the side of the table,

"Sorry, darling. There was quite an intriguing piece of news written in today's paper." She apologised as she buttered up her toast. Sasuke inclined his head slightly, a signal for her to continue.

"It seems that there has been a string of murders recently; the latest one being the baker's daughter from the middle of town. The victims were killed right in their own home, you know? It's scary to think that anyone could enter the house without making a single sound." Sakura explained with a slight shudder before she continued,

"But you know what, darling? The strangest parts of these murders were how these girls were killed. It seems that they were killed in a 'merciful' fashion… They weren't tortured, but instead given an instant death." She told her husband as she took a bite of the toast. She chewed, deep in thought,

"What I don't understand is why the murderer took a body part from each of them; heart, liver, stomach, sometimes even their hands or feet! Do you think that the murderer's taking them as some sort of trophy?" She wondered as she turned expectant green eyes at her husband who had been staring thoughtfully at her. He slowly shook his head,

"Dear, I wouldn't know what a murderer could be thinking about." He assured her. Sakura laughed gently,

"Sorry. It's just that it's an interesting case. If I was as healthy as I used to be, I would be the one examining the bodies, you know?" She sighed wistfully. Sasuke's grip on his utensils tightened minutely,

"You know that you're going to be fine, Sakura. I know that you'll get better soon." He told her. She turned sad eyes onto him,

"Darling, I've been a doctor for so many years. I have an extensive knowledge of the human body and the diseases that infect it. From my professional standpoint, I know that I only have months left on this earth; from my personal standpoint, I feel weaker and weaker every single day…" She explained. Sasuke looked away and glared at nothing in particular. Sakura reached over the table and grabbed his hands,

"Instead of fighting, I'd rather us to spend as much time together, to create memories that you can keep forever when I'm gone. I want to love you as much as my entire being would allow and more. Please, would you promise me this?" She whispered lovingly. Sasuke's gaze softened and he nodded his head at her. He held her hands together and placed a kiss atop of them,

"You know that I'd do anything for you, my love." He whispered. At that moment, a messenger appeared through the doorway, with the maid behind him.

"Uchiha-san, the university wishes to discuss your scientific findings that you've sent them a month ago." The messenger announced. Sasuke glared darkly at him,

"Tell them that I wish to spend time with my wife. They should have called earlier…" He instructed the messenger. The messenger looked stricken,

"Uchiha-san, they said that it was important that you see them today! I apologise for coming in between you and your wife, but it the university has told me that it was most vital that you visited them today." The poor messenger pleaded. Sasuke looked as if he was about to drag the poor guy through hell and back when the small hands in his grip nudged him softly. Sasuke turned back towards his wife. Sakura shook her head and then gave him a small smile,

"Go to the university, Sasuke. I'll be fine here. We'll have plenty of time to spend when you get back from the university." She insisted. She turned towards the messenger,

"Don't you worry; my husband will be at the university as soon as possible." She declared. The messenger sighed in relieve and tipped his hat at the kind doctor before he followed the maid back towards the main entrance. Sasuke sighed as the messenger left,

"You'll be alright on your own? If you need anything, please just ask Maria (the maid) to get it for you, okay?" He asked worriedly as he stood. Sakura nodded her head,

"Don't worry; I know how to take care of myself. Now go, before the university send someone else to physically drag you there." She joked as she made a shooing motion with her hands. Sasuke nodded before he bent down to place a kiss on her forehead,

"I'll be back soon." He promised as he made his way out of the dining room. Sakura shook her head with a smile before she continued with her breakfast, her mind on the recent string of murders and her husband's strange disappearances.

It was late at night and Sakura was reading alone in the drawing room of their house. Nestled under blankets as a thunderstorm raged outside, Sakura felt immensely comfortable. Maria, the maid was sent an urgent message from home telling her that her mother was incredibly ill. Sakura took pity on the poor woman and dismissed her for the night. Sakura placed the book down on the stand beside the chair she was sitting on and massaged her temples tiredly. Ever since the disease invaded her body, Sakura was rather prone to fatigue. Her once above average strength was also sapped from her; she could barely life a jug of water without straining the muscles in her arms. Sakura laughed humourlessly at the memories of her dominating the arm wrestling matches that were held at the nearby tavern, ah the good days…

All of a sudden, her ears picked up the faint sounds of footsteps in the house. Reports and images of the recent murders immediately flashed through her mind. Lightning flashed outside and Sakura thought that it was incredibly cliché for a serial killer to be in her house during a thunderstorm. She shook her head to rid it of morbid thoughts and chastised herself for having an over imaginative brain. 'It's probably just Sasuke back from the university.' She assured herself silently,

"Darling, is that you?" She called out for her husband. No reply, but the footsteps were getting louder. 'Weird, he wouldn't usually be this loud when he walks.' She thought anxiously. Her eyes flew towards her husband's katana above the mantelpiece. 'It would probably be better if I arm myself in case there really is a serial killer in the house.' She tightened her grip on the arms of the chair. Using all the strength she had, she heaved herself up into a standing position, only to regret it as a sense of vertigo attacked her. She lost balance of herself and felt herself falling towards the floor. 'Shit.' Was all she could think of as she braced herself for the impact with her eyes closed. It never came, in fact, she felt warm arms wrapped around her protectively instead. Slowly, she peeked open an eye and relief washed through her as she saw that it was her husband who had caught her fall,

"Darling… you gave me quite the scare." She breathed out. His gaze was full of concern as he sat her back down on the chair,

"Are you alright, Sakura? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" He kneeled and questioned her. She shook her head no,

"I'm fine. A little shaken, but otherwise fine…" She assured him. Sakura then let out a shaky laugh,

"For a moment there, I really thought that there was a serial killer in the house." She confessed sheepishly. Sasuke ruffled her pink hair affectionately as he stood back up,

"He's not a serial killer… He just wants the best body parts that he could get his hands on, you see." Sasuke informed her as he walked towards the mantelpiece, where the katana was. He then took it down and unsheathed it to inspect the blade. Sakura eyed him warily as he stroked the blade to test its sharpness. The blade sliced his finger slightly which caused Sasuke to suck gently on the wound. Sakura backed away slightly; her husband was acting weird,

"Whatever do you mean, Sasuke-kun? I thought that you wouldn't know what a murderer could be thinking about?" She inquired as she repeated the very words he had given her that morning. Sasuke turned around, eyes still on the blade as he stalked towards her. Sakura backed further into the chair,

"S-Sasuke-kun?" She whispered worryingly. Sasuke looked at her; his eyes showed slight remorse,

"I promise that it won't hurt Sakura. I love you…" He whispered back.

And then he swung the sword at her…

"Master, the body is set up and the conditions are perfect. All we need to attach is the final piece, the madam's head." A raspy voice spoke up. Sasuke spared his homunculus, his greatest scientific achievement yet, a glance before he opened the ice box on his desk and removed a bundle from it. He slowly revealed Sakura's severed head,

"Everything is going to be better for you now, my dear Sakura. You'll be perfectly healthy again. It was just a temporary sleep." Sasuke whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss on his her cold lips.

"Darling, it's time for you to wake up now."

~Up next, Day 9~