After four months...
Sakura was walking home from work. It's her first day back, and for a while, the pain of losing her child was tucked deep in the recesses of her mind. The Uchiha children flocked around her, trying to make her stay and play with her. The pink-haired Kunoichi smiled but she needs to return to their home. For she knows that Itachi will be waiting for her.
Since the incident, Itachi expressed his desire to quit as ANBU captain and wanted to teach the new ninjas. Tsunade agreed to the Uchiha prodigy's request, for she knows that Itachi needs to be with his family and not out in the village fighting.
But before Sakura reached the perimeter of Itachi's home, she was stopped in her tracks by Hikari. Sakura knows the elders, and as a sign of respect she bowed to the old woman.
"Haruno Sakura." Hikari greeted her.
Her smile was frozen in her face. She didn't hear her maiden name for about a year. But now an Uchiha elder used it to address her.
"Hikari-san."
Hikari gave her a once-over. The woman scoffed at what she sees. "I didn't really understand what he saw in you. Izumi-chan is a better choice for Itachi." She said looking at her eyes. "No matter what you do, Haruno, you will never be welcome in this clan."
"Father, accepted me in the family. And it's Itachi that I married not the elders."
"And Itachi is supposed to be the next clan head." Hikari informed her. "But he might not be able to exercise his birth right because he married you."
Hikari smiled in victory when she saw Sakura's wide eyes. So she didn't know the implications their marriage caused.
"Think about that, Haruno." Then she left.
Sakura was left dumbfounded. She didn't know any of the things Hikari told her. Itachi might be replaced because he married her.
Sakura stood there, the weight of Hikari's words settling heavily on her shoulders. The information was like a sudden storm, unexpected and turbulent, tearing through the facade of normalcy she had tried to rebuild in the past few months. She had thought that her marriage to Itachi was a step toward healing, a chance to rebuild her life after the tragic loss of their child. But instead her marriage is like a mountain of problems trying to break her back.
As Sakura entered their home, the atmosphere felt different. Itachi was there, his usually calm demeanor replaced with a subtle tension. Sensing her unease, he looked at her, concern evident in his onyx eyes.
"What happened?" he inquired, his voice a soft murmur that conveyed both care and worry.
Sakura hesitated before recounting the encounter with Hikari, the elder's words echoing in her mind. Itachi listened silently, his expression darkening with each revelation.
"I didn't know," Sakura whispered, almost to herself, as if saying it out loud would make it more real. "I didn't know that our marriage could jeopardize your position as the clan head."
Itachi sighed, a mixture of frustration and regret clouding his features. "I knew there would be challenges, Sakura. The elders are traditionalists, and they hold the fate of the clan in high regard. I thought we could navigate through it, but perhaps I underestimated the resistance we would face."
Sakura looked at Itachi, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—concern and love. "I love you Itachi, but in our marriage we stumble upon problems non-stop. Maybe Kami is saying that we shouldn't stay married. Maybe it's his way of telling us that no matter what we do, we are never destined for each other."
Itachi took Sakura's hands in his. "Are you leaving me?"
"I don't know." Sakura suddenly exploded. "I don't know anymore. I just lost my child and then I learned that its me that endangers the position tha you worked for youe whole life." she said. "I never thought that loving you will be this hard and painful, Itachi."
Itachi gazed into Sakura's eyes, the pain reflected in both their expressions. He could feel the weight of her words, the struggle she was going through. He tightened his grip on her hands, desperate to convey his own turmoil.
"Sakura, I can't promise that our path will be easy, but I know I can't imagine my life without you. I chose you, not just as my wife, but as my partner in facing whatever challenges come our way," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart.
Sakura looked into Itachi's eyes, torn between the love she felt for him and the overwhelming burden of their circumstances. "Itachi, I love you, but it feels like we're fighting against your entire clan, against their expectations and traditions. I can't bear the thought of being the reason you lose everything." Sakura freed her hand from his grip. "Maybe you should have married Izumi." she whispered.
She took one more look towards Itachi then she hurriedly left. Away from him. Away from his family, his clan. Away from the compound.
As Sakura fled from the Uchiha compound, her steps heavy with the weight of her decisions, Itachi stood frozen in their home. The air felt thick with tension, and the walls seemed to close in on him. He couldn't comprehend the rapid unraveling of the life he had envisioned with Sakura.
Fugaku, having been informed of the confrontation with Hikari, entered the room, his stern expression softening as he saw the distress in Itachi's eyes. "What happened, Itachi?"
Itachi hesitated, his voice barely a whisper. "She's gone, Father. She said she doesn't know if she can stay with me, and maybe she's right. Maybe I've brought too much trouble into her life."
Fugaku's gaze hardened, not in anger, but in determination. "We will find her. This is not the time for you to be alone."