Bonus Content #3

Chapter 45 - Sakura's POV

Nakao had collapsed rather crudely, like a puppet with its strings cut. She just…fell. Fell and didn't get up. Sakura couldn't quite believe what she was seeing; the howling winds, the bright flashes and then her ex-teammate dropping to the ground.

Sakura's medically-trained mind was already telling her Nakao was not going to survive this. She'd just been electrocuted by…how much electricity? How much electricity was in several bolts of lightning? Enough to stop a heart.

And then movement caught her eye; a flash bolting across the battlefield. Sasuke. Her mind struggled to process Uchiha Sasuke dropping to his knees beside Nakao, gently scooping her up into his arms, draping her across his lap. Sakura was sure she'd never seen Sasuke display anything so remotely intimate.

Well…except for that kiss they felt the need to have in front of everybody. The action had shocked Sakura, as it had everyone else. Nakao initiating the kiss was surprising enough, but the fact that Sasuke was reciprocating it a moment later was mind boggling.

Although, now that Sakura gave herself a moment to consider it, perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising. Sakura had long suspected that Nakao had feelings for Sasuke. That her blatant disregard of the Uchiha was a bravado she put up. Sakura had always been so sure of this, even before Nakao seemed to realize it.

She wasn't entirely sure what had led her to that belief. It could have been complete denial on Sakura's part that anyone could avoid feelings for the seemingly perfect Uchiha. But no, that wasn't quite it. It was little things that Sakura had noticed with her perceptive nature. Sakura had mostly paid attention in class, but concepts were easy to grasp, and her mind would wander sometimes. More than once she could have sworn she'd seen Nakao sneaking glances at the Uchiha, almost absently, like she didn't realize she was doing it.

After they'd been put on a squad together, Sakura had come to learn that Sasuke and Nakao had a prior history together as children. She couldn't really remember it, and Sakura and Nakao had run in different crowds. Sakura didn't really start paying attention to Nakao until they were older and, embarrassed as she was to admit it now, she'd viewed Nakao as a threat. Nakao didn't strive to attract Sasuke's attention and Sakura worried that might actually make her more appealing to Sasuke. That, and Nakao was lovely with her curly hair and those striking violet-shaded eyes. It was unfair to be beautiful and gifted. She may not have been as smart as Sakura or as gifted with genjutsu, but her mastery of weaponry and jutsu Sakura still was not sure she measured up to.

When they'd all been placed on a squad together, it wasn't long before a strange attachment between the two began to form, or make itself noticeable. Whichever. It was like they read one another's thoughts. She had often wondered if they realized how often their eyes found each other, as if seeking validation from the other. Or something would happen, or someone would say something, and their eyes would instantly find one another at the same time, as if the moment called to them for some reason or other.

There came to be plenty of times it was obvious that something was going on between them, whether they were cognizant of it or not. The battle with Haku came to mind. She remembered the way Sasuke pressed against Nakao's abdomen, insisting they could still save her, though Sakura had already thought her to be dead. She remembered the Chuunin Exams, how Sasuke had thrown himself in front of her when he received the curse mark. The way Nakao flung her arms around Sasuke, bury her face into his back to stop his onslaught; how it had worked. Remembered the fury in Nakao's face just before the third exam when Sakura had begged Sasuke to pull out. When they were in the Country of Tea, Sakura could still hear Nakao's scream as she and Sasuke plunged off that bridge.

The list went on and on. By the time Nakao seemed to realize it, Sasuke was gone and Nakao was back in Konoha, her first mission as a Chuunin a failure. From there, Nakao seemed to spiral into depression. With no squad to hold them together, Sakura and Nakao grew completely apart, but being Tsunade-sama's pupil, Sakura was privy to information. Like all the high-risk missions Nakao requested. Or the gambling debts she was racking up. Or her constant tardiness because she couldn't rouse herself out of bed. By the time Sakura realized Nakao probably needed help, they'd grown so far apart they were barely strangers.

In conclusion, it should not really have been a surprise, the sudden display of affection. But to be fair, having Sasuke materialize out of nowhere, Nakao and her dead brother with him, and for some type of relationship to have formed between them was a lot to take in within a five-minute span.

Sakura watched the pair now and realized they were speaking to one another. Nakao was still alive. Sakura got to her feet, having finished healing a comrade, intent on heading to Nakao when something shifted. She saw Sasuke hang his head, saw him pull Nakao closer to himself, as though embracing her. No…there was nothing left to save now.

There was a lot of emotions to process; and all of them were running high with the adrenaline and death and destruction all around her; she couldn't focus on just one. But that changed as the seconds ticked by and Sasuke remained holding her, as though he couldn't bare to let her go. She felt something tug on her heart then. A sense of sadness and regret and a feeling of unfairness.

And then Sasuke got to his feet, cradling Nakao in his arms. She watched him draw nearer until he was approaching her. She'd never seen him like this before. Like he'd been wounded, though there was no wound in sight. There was an air of desperation about him, and his careful composure was cracking. Carefully, he held Nakao out, as though offering her to Sakura.

"Can you help her?"

Sakura frowned but turned her gaze on her ex-teammate. She reached a hand out, pressing her fingers against the carotid, even though she'd knew what she'd find. Nothing.

"She's gone," Sakura said quietly.

"But you can help her, can't you?" Sasuke asked. His voice was its normal quiet calm, but his eyes were stormy.

"I-," Sakura faltered. This was Sasuke. Cool, logical Sasuke. He knew she was gone. "Sasuke…she doesn't have a heartbeat…"

"Please."

She'd never heard him speak so softly. He was pleading with her. His eyes were on Nakao now, taking her in, gripping her tightly.

Frowning, Sakura turned her attention to the young woman as well. Her skin was marked with burns and her clothes were smoking. Patches of hair were breaking off, brittle from the heat. Her lips were already turning pale, and Sakura began to worry that even if she could get Nakao back, there might be some brain damage.

But Sasuke's plea kept echoing in her ears. She kept seeing that kiss. Kept remembering all those secret looks and acts of love.

She took a step forward and her hands began to glow.