A/N: A whole year! Gomen! I know a lot of you have been asking me to continue this...so I am. However now I'm trying to get back up to date with this story as well as others. . wah! Anyway....as far as this story goes....a lot of changes are going to take place so please bare with me. I hope you like this chapter....I'm going to work on the next one -runs off to write next chapter-
Disclamir: You know how it goes!!! :p
Collide ch. 8
2 days passed since Sakura's near death experience. Thanks to Naruto and Sasuke, she recovered quickly and they were now ready to head back to Konoha. To report what had happen. At the moment, she was standing in the room where she was attacked and left for dead by her former love. Although at first she couldn't remember how it lead up to that, over the past couple of days little by little she remembered. Now she stood there with mixed feelings. She no doubt still loved him, but it troubled her that the man whom she loved so deeply would even want her dead. As she was lost in her thoughts, she was startled by the sudden touch to her shoulder. She gasped as she quickly turned around only to see that it was Naruto standing by her with a look of concern on his face.
"Sakura-chan, it's time to go." He said quietly as he lowered his hand back down to his side. He took a moment to look around, the frown on his face deepened. "I'm sorry." He said in a whisper.
A surprised look came across her face as she continued to look at him. "Why?!" She questioned. For a moment he was silent as he looked down at the ground. He then looked up. A regretful look on his face. Sakura blanked as she continued to remain quite waiting for him to talk.
"...if I didn't confess to you, if I didn't say what I had said..." He began softly, his voice cracking as if he were going to break into tears again. A frown came across her face. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly.
"Please Naruto..." She whispered, "Don't..."
"I don't know....I still don't know what I would do if you were killed." He whispered as he held her in his arms tightly. "I love you so much Sakura-chan....I'm sorry..." Sakura's frown deepened and for the first time since the incident....she was no longer able to hold back her feelings. Tears upon tears rolled down her cheeks. The love of her life nearly killing her and her best friend confessing his love to her. It wasn't one of those situations you come across everyday. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how foolish she had acted that night. There she was defending the very man who attempted to kill her. She lived in her own fairy tale world thinking that they would meet again one day and pick up from where they left off. Reality offered her a huge slap in the face. She didn't realize until this very moment their relationship back then and any prospects for one in the future was dead a long time ago. And here she stood in the arms of a handsome young man who poured out his heartfelt feelings to her and cruelly she dismissed him for something that would never happen. Sighing deeply she felt a sting of guilt. She now knew in her heart what she wanted....and wither it was right or wrong she made up her mind. She was about to express her thoughts that is until Sasuke walked into the room and spoke up.
"Really, you guys should get a room." Both Naruto and Sakura gasped in surprise and jumped away from each other. Both of them blushing slightly as they looked at their friend. A smirk came across Sasuke's face as he stood by the entrance to the room.
"You guys could continue with what you were doing when we return to Konoha. We leave now."
"But we weren't--!!" They cried out in unison and at the same time looked at each other. Upon doing so their blush deepened and they looked away. This mere action only seemed to make the smirk on Sasuke's face grow wider. Without another word on his part, he left the room leaving the two to be on their own.
It felt like the silence would last forever before Sakura spoke. She looked over at Naruto who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. She cleared her throat thus getting his attention. For a moment all they did was look into each others eyes.
"I....I should be the one to say sorry." She spoke softly. A confused look crossed his face as she continued.
"...I was so focused on waiting for him. Thinking that when we meet again...we'd pick up from where we left off." She paused for a moment as a frown came across her face. "Every day he was all I thought about, he was all I dreamed about." She looked down. "But I guess dreams are not always meant to come true right?" She didn't give Naruto a chance to reply as she turned around and left the room.
Naruto continued to stand where he stood. A frown came across his face. "...Sakura-chan..." He whispered and soon afterward followed her.
It didn't take them long to get back to Konoha....since they were only several miles away. The trip back went smoothly....except for the couple of times they had to stop due to Sakura's tiredness. Despite that, they were able to make it back a little after dusk. As usual upon arrival...their first stop was to Tsuande's office to make a report on their trip. All three were quite as they stood before Tsuande's desk. The tension in the room seemed to hover above all of them....with Sakura and Naruto being a bit hesitant....Sasuke seeming slightly board and Tsunade with her elbows on top of her desk, hands folded and chin resting a top of it as she looked a the three teens before her. The silence in the room proved to be too much for her, so she decided to end it.
"...What do you have to report?" She asked in a tired voice as she closed her eyes.
Again the room grew silent and a vain started to throb on her forehead....there was but so much tension she would allow.
"....Do you have something to report on?" She asked in a almost agitated voice as she opened her eyes to look at them.
"Yes...we do..." Sasuke spoke up as he stepped forward. A troubled look crossed his face for only a second....before returning to his normal look.....but it was long enough for Tsunade to catch.
That was enough to suddenly make her more alert. She sat up on her chair with a serious, focused look on her face. Just that look alone told her it was something really bad. Just what it was...she wasn't sure just yet...and she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to know. But being that it was their duty to report and for her to keep such reports....she decided regardless...that she would hear it. Before she could tell him to continue...he did.
"We were only several miles away..." He began. "We had decided to stop for the night...."
"Then Sakura-chan and I decided to go for a walk to gather wood for Sasuke to make a fire...."Naruto added as he felt the need to pick up where he knew Sasuke couldn't finish. "....so as we walked we started talking....:" He paused for a second as he looked over at Sakura who in turn looked at him. Both of them blushing.
"...But then at some point of our conversation, Naruto and I got into an argument....and we went our separate ways...." Sakura said softly as she looked at Tsunade....who in turn gave Naruto a stern look. His only response was to swallow hard.....he knew what that silent look meant....based on their conversion. He looked down with a deep frown.
"What happened next Sakura?" She asked as she turned her attention to the pink hair konochi.
"....Honestly...some parts I can't remember. But one thing is for sure...." She drew in a deep breath as she bit her lower lip....once again feeling like she wanted to cry. At seeing this Tsunade grew alarmed. Somehow...deep inside....she knew what Sakura was going to say...
"I saw him." She said softly as she looked down.
"What happened?" A stern look crossed her face. Once again...she knew what Sakura was going to say....but asked anyway.
After a moment of silence....Sakura looked up...as she had tearing rolling down from her eyes.. "He...attacked me....and knocked me uncontentious...w...when I woke up....I was in some cabin that was near by where Naruto and I were. I realized that I had been tied up. He kept going on about me lying to him....about leaving him. I tried to explain that I had never lied to him...but....he didn't want to hear it. And what's worst is that he felt I had betrayed him even more so....since unknown to Naruto and I...he had actually seen us....when we were alone talking...." She paused...wiping away her tears. "Then he started to slash me....not really hitting any vital spots...not deep enough to making me bleed heavily....but......I knew....just as he said he wanted....he was torching me before trying to kill me. But honestly....that's as much as I can remember...."
"We heard her scream....such a scream I care not to remember...." Naruto said as he felt a chill run down his spine just remembering that sound. "So Sasuke and I followed where we heard the scream...but by the time we got there..."
"He was gone." Sasuke said in a dark tone. "There was blood everywhere....all the katana's....and Sakura....on the flood covered In blood..." He paused for a second wondering if he should bother to mention the fact that the wounds were tended for and covered....even though that mere fact still filled his mind with questions. He shook he head as he decided to with hold that information. "She was nearly dead....but....thankfully she wasn't."
"But why? Why would he attack me like that? And the things that he was saying...almost all of it...I couldn't understand....wha...what did he mean by me betraying him? About lying to him? Tsunade-sama....what happened to him when I left the village? Why....why isn't Dei-kun....the same way I remember him from all those years ago??" Sakura asked as she gave a pleading look to the 5th Hokage.
The room grew silent once again....this time Tsunade herself causing it....and not being quick to break it either.
She sighed deeply before speaking, "I honestly didn't think he'd go so far as to harm you." She looked directly at Sakura.
Sakura's eyes widen slightly. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"That boy," She started slowly "He was a troubled youth before he met you, and after you left....he grew worst. But even I don't know what tipped him over the edge. What ever it was, I don't see how it connects you or how he could think you've betrayed him....enough to want to kill you."
Once again she grew silent as a dark look crossed her face. "Whatever the reason though, You have completed your mission."
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke's only response was to blank and say 'Huh??' in confusion.
"Your mission was to go and gather information on his whereabouts. The fact that you actually came across him and even spoke to him goes well above your mission." She sighed deeply as she stood up and walked over to Sakura. She looked down at her with a remorseful look.
"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura questioned as she looked up at her.
"He must be captured and be brought back here and he must suffer the consequences for assaulting a Konoha ninja."
"But that means..." Naruto started but then trailed off.
A serious look crossed Tsunade's face as she looked at Sakura. "I bend my principles to accommodate you Sakura. Doing so nearly cost your life. You are a very valuable med nin and you are like a niece to me. I will not tolerate such actions from an ex-Konoha ninja. Do you understand me?"
"Yes." Sakura said softly as she looked down. Once again feeling mixed feelings for what she knew Tsunade would say.
"I'll explain the details for your next mission tomorrow. Until then you are dismissed." With that said she turned back to her desk. She was only an arms length away when she turned back around to see the the three were still standing where they stood.
Sakura stepped forward. "Tsunade-sama. Excuse me....but....of what you'll be asking us I..." she looked down as she bit her lower lip.
"I will not be sending you on this mission...so there is nothing that you need to concern yourself with." She said as she turned back to her desk.
"Tsunade-sama??" Sakura nearly gasped as she looked at her.
"Do you think of me as being foolish enough to send you out there when he tried to kill you once?" She turned around and look at the three of them....but more at Sakura. She then looked over at Naruto and Sasuke. "The two of you....be here by noon tomorrow to receive the specifics on your next mission. All of you are free to go now."