2.- Darkness

Another month had passed, and one morning in May, as I was walking to the clinic, the drizzle turned into a terrible downpour. Passersby were running to find a roof to protect themselves from the water and avoid ruining their clothes; I did the same for at least two blocks until my feet stopped moving and I stopped over a puddle in which I was reflected.

I turned my hand to see the palm of my hand and perceived the exact moment when the raindrops fell and burst on my skin. This cold and shivering sensation made me travel to another dimension, little by little I started to get completely soaked, but I didn't care. I didn't care that my hair was ruined or that my makeup was running, I raised my face to feel the impact of the water and closed my eyes.

A part of me wanted to calculate exactly how long it had been since Sasuke had last been in the middle of a storm. Or at least know when it had been since he had seen rain? Unfortunately, his eyes, born with the privilege of possessing a unique technique, were punished by giving them darkness in return.

I learned to love Sasuke when I understood his pain. When I looked beyond a physique and delved into his history and his way of being; when I stopped caring about the girlish game of winning his love and exchanged it for his own happiness.

"Sakura!"

My eyelids vibrated and my eyes lifted as the water stopped falling on my body, I looked at the dark waterproof fabric covering me and then at the hand holding the umbrella. His bushy eyebrows raised and a smile almost formed on his lips, but it died at the last moment when he saw something in my face that must have looked sad to him.

"Lee, long time no see, you're back from your missions in Suna."

His lips trembled before opening but at the end he let out a noise similar to a laugh, one of those that arise as if to lessen the tension in the atmosphere.

"Yes, I just got back last night and today I'm going to deliver some reports to the Hokage. Sorry to tell you, but you shouldn't be getting wet in the rain, you could get sick."

I looked at the rest of my clothes, at that moment having an umbrella protecting me from the rain was useless because I was completely wet.

"I'm sorry," I replied apologetically and with my hands I squeezed the hem of my blouse, "I had a long time without getting wet in the rain, for some reason I thought it was funny. But I'm a little old to be doing such things, aren't I?"

Lee wrinkled his eyebrows and his lips tightened, at times I imagined he was going to scold me for being so reckless.

"It's true, Guy sensei always tells me: youth is a flame that should not be extinguished by even the slightest drop of water. So it's good that you do what you like, Sakura."

I couldn't help but smile, his jokes were sometimes an oasis in the desert. Lee offered to take me to the clinic, but our paths were on opposite sides and I didn't see the point in delaying him any longer when I was already soaking wet.

At some point the intensity of the rain decreased and that's when I decided to leave.

"I think this is where we say goodbye, I have to get to work soon," I said. He shook his head as a gesture of acceptance.

"I'll see you later, Sakura."

He ran with his umbrella and I lost sight of him. I turned on my heels and headed for the health clinic where a long day awaited me.

My fingers ran along the rim of my cup of steaming coffee, my eyeballs amused as I watched the steam drift away as it rose. The door to the office opened and I saw Ino taking off her robe to hang it on the rack on the wall, her expression was not the most cheerful and I guessed she was having a bad day.

"Everything okay?"

She looked at me and her lips stretched into a line.

"Yes, I'm a little exhausted, I had a lot of work to do this morning. How about you?"

I straightened up, stretching my arms across the desk.

"Paperwork and more paperwork. Those awful reports due at the end of the month, you know."

"What's the news about Sasuke?"

I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and shook my head, Ino's gaze faded.

"Kakashi sensei says it's better not to insist or I'll run the risk of them changing the doctor who checks Sasuke."

"So they're serious about leaving him in prison for life, what a damn injustice."

I sighed and took a sip from my cup, staring at the dark pottery as images of a teenage Sasuke flashed through my mind.

"Sometimes, I think of the great power the Uchiha had and the threat they posed to the leaders of this nation. But Sasuke is not to blame for being what he was, his emotions were out of control because of all the suffering."

Ino sat across from me, clasping her hands together and resting them on the desk. My eyes watched her closely, that fearless look in her stunningly clear irises.

"Are we going to let Sasuke stay in that hole forever?"

"Well, what can we do? He's in a prison far from Konoha and is under constant surveillance. Even the Hokage can't intervene in his situation because they're afraid of Sasuke, they're afraid he might cause serious trouble."

"We'll have to check the law and the clauses, I'll ask Sai to help me."

I frowned, there was something strange in Ino's expressions and I suspected that she knew something I didn't know.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

"Not really, but if we want to save Sasuke from the darkness, then we need to ask for even the smallest bit of help. If there was an error in the way he was tried, and if we find ways to go around the law, then maybe we can get him free."

I kept thinking about his determined words, and even though they were impressive, I still felt like it wouldn't work.

"If Sasuke threatens the interests of the feudal lords, no matter how unfair the law is, they won't set him free easily," I said.

"We won't know if we don't try. What could be worse? Sasuke already has a life sentence."

My heart squeezed and I felt the tightness in my chest become more evident. At times I thought about how selfish I was being by only thinking of myself, but on the other hand I also didn't want to leave him alone for the rest of his days.

"If we annoy the feudal lords, they will ban Sasuke from receiving medical visits and maybe even change his sentence to the death penalty. I refuse to let something like that happen."

"Then let's do things in a more discreet way but let's never give up, Sakura."

She rested her hand on my shoulder and the warmth of her skin was like a tender and comforting embrace. I placed my own hand on hers and we both looked at each other.

"You're right, Ino. Let's get him out of that darkness."

The day I went to deliver my reports to the Hokage Tower, I ran into Naruto again after a few weeks. As I was walking down the stairs, we made eye contact and his signature smile appeared on his face. He lifted his right hand to greet me and we closed the distance between us.

"How did your exam turn out?" I inquired, hopeful for good news.

Naruto had been putting in a lot of effort to pass his exams and advance to a higher ninja rank.

He scratched his head uncertainly, but then his fingers flexed in a sign of victory, and my joy returned.

"You're looking at a new jounin of Konoha, dattebayo!"

My heart rejoiced for him, I simply couldn't describe the feeling that was born inside me when I saw his face so happy and beaming for having reached such a high level. Although, Naruto and I did not share blood ties, I could feel like a kind of proud sister.

"Well done, Naruto."

"You know, I've already decided."

"What?

He folded his arms and looked toward the horizon.

"I don't know how long it'll be before I become Hokage but I swear to you that when I get it, I'll do everything to regain Sasuke's freedom."

I was silent when I heard his plans and remembered Ino who urged me not to give up, I thought that surely everyone who knew him had Sasuke on their mind and possibly they too were looking for a way to get him out of prison.

I was ashamed of myself for not trying anything, for giving in to the set punishment and not even fighting for one last chance. Naruto was organizing his ideas to save his friend, and what was I doing? I was just lamenting.

"Sakura?"

I shook my head.

"So tell me, Naruto, how are things going with Hinata? You two have been dating for a long time now, are you never planning to get married?"

I laughed out of commitment, to break the tension but Naruto did not imitate my act and by the gesture of his features I perceived that something was not very well. His lips opened slowly and his blue irises moved slightly sideways.

"I want to get married," he confessed with a serious tone, "Hinata and I have talked about marriage but... Sometimes I think I shouldn't have a celebration when my best friend is in jail."

Inevitably I felt my eyes watering so I blinked several times to keep the tears from forming in full. I took a deep breath and crossed my arms.

"It's true that it's painful for us to live happily while Sasuke can't enjoy the same things, but if he were here, he'd probably tell you not to stop on his account," I said as we made eye contact. "Your life must go on, and now you have the chance for a future with the woman you love, so don't let it go to waste."

"And what about you, Sakura? What are your plans for the future?"

His sudden questioning was a powerful tool that struck me deeply. While I excelled at dispensing advice, I struggled to apply that wisdom to my own life.

"I..."

"Sakura!"

Both Naruto and I turn to look at the balcony, Kakashi sensei was watching me with his eyebrows furrowed, like that gesture of concern and I didn't understand what was going on.

"Come right now, I just received a request!"

My feet moved too slowly for my taste, I had barely climbed a step without taking my eyes off my former sensei when he continued talking and that made Naruto uneasy.

"Sasuke is sick, he needs you."

My breathing became heavy and my hands turned cold. I hadn't expected news like this and in almost a second I thought about what kind of illness he might have that they would bother to ask for my help. It had to be something very serious.

"What's wrong with Sasuke? What happened to him?"

Naruto's powerful voice gave me a boost to be able to react, I hurried up the steps and heard him follow me. We both went to Kakashi sensei's office where he explained the situation.

"The guards don't know for sure what's wrong with him, but they're afraid it's contagious. All the application says is that Sasuke has been vomiting, so you better pack your things and leave."

I affirmed shaking my head.

"I'll take care of it, Kakashi sensei."

"If you think you need anything else let me know so I can prepare a document to support it and let you in with extra stuff."

Kakashi Sensei said these words because before entering the prison I would be completely searched to prevent me from carrying weapons that could threaten the safety of the building and the guards.

"Don't worry, it's not necessary. I'm going home to prepare the first aid kit and I'll leave immediately."

The prison where Sasuke was held was in the northwest of the Land of Fire, in the village of Mushrooms near Kusagakure. The feudal lords agreed that this would be the best place to keep him and prevent him from escaping.

It would have taken me about eight hours to get there had it not been for Sai, who kindly gave me a ride on one of his inkbirds. Instead, it took us half the time.

We descended to the mainland and the bird disappeared in the air. The high-security building was in front of us and inside it, at the bottom, was Sasuke.

"I don't have permission to enter so I'll wait for you out here."

"Okay."

I walked towards the entrance, the big black door guarded by two shinobi. I presented my permit and another document that Kakashi sensei drew up, they already had the order to allow me access so I didn't waste much time identifying myself.

In one room my clothes were examined as well as my first aid kit; once they made sure I had nothing hidden, they let me through to the next door.

"Sakura Haruno, ninja doctor, is coming for the Uchiha prisoner."

A man said reluctantly. He was chewing something, clucking his tongue and reading the document. His ungracious attitude disgusted me as much as his strong smell of tobacco. Finally, he stopped ignoring my face and deigned to turn around with a look of boredom and hatred for life, pulled out a badge from the window and handed it to me.

"I wish this Uchiha would die already, he only causes us problems."

I suppressed my anger, controlled my terrible impulses to reach through the window and squeeze his neck. I ignored his comment and looked away to go to the door where a tall guard was standing. I showed him my badge and he let me through.

A guard escorted me down the stairs that would take me to the basement where my former teammate was in a dirty, abandoned cell.

The cold walls and the long, dimly lit corridor gave a terrifying impression, I had crossed that corridor only three times before and that fourth time still felt horrible.

The sound of our footsteps echoed throughout the place, and I saw no one else occupy a place inside those filthy cells. At the end of the corridor the guard stopped and took his key out of his pants pocket to open the lock and grant me access.

The light bulb allowed me to barely see Sasuke's figure but my heart beat fast as I was able to witness him.

"Remember the protocol doctor: no talking about anything other than the medical examination."

"Can I ask you when you realized Sasuke was sick?"

The man shrugged his shoulders.

"The watchman in charge asked for the change for fear of catching whatever it is he has."

I shook my head in acceptance of his answer and then entered the cell with my first aid kit. Sasuke was sitting on a mattress and his head was resting on the wall. His legs were untied but his arm was still tied to his side and his eyes covered by a blindfold with a seal to prevent it from coming off.

I tried with all my might to keep my composure and not start crying, it wasn't nice at all to see Sasuke so down and thin. I put the first aid kit on the mattress and waited a few seconds before speaking, I wanted my voice to sound as natural as possible and for the watchman not to notice my emotions.

"Sasuke... I'm here."

He remained still until I sensed movement in his legs; he slowly straightened up and sat up straighter. My hands were shaking and I hid them inside the pockets of my robe.

"I was told you have been vomiting, may I know how often this happens?"

His lips were slow to open but when they did, my chest vibrated from hearing his voice once again. Although the volume was low and without much encouragement in between, hearing it was a hint of happiness.

"I've been feeling nauseous for three days now and have vomited at least five times in that period."

"Have you eaten?"

"I've only consumed water. I have no appetite."

I turned my face slightly to look at the guard, he was still paying attention to us and there was no way he would take his eyes off us.

"I understand. Any other symptoms?"

"I'm having trouble breathing."

I opened the first aid kit and took out the stethoscope, quickly put it on and approached Sasuke.

"I will check the ventilation of your lungs, please take a deep breath when I tell you to, okay?"

Sasuke nodded, then I stuck my diaphragm on his upper chest.

"Inhale, please."

He did so.

"Now exhale. Good, one more time."

After the procedure, I removed the earplugs from my ears and pondered his words. He had said he was having trouble breathing but I didn't detect any abnormality in the way the oxygen was coming in. I thought maybe it was anxiety.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at the guard, who continued to watch the scene without moving from his spot. The pressure he was exerting was frightening, I felt too uncomfortable.

"Okay, you have nausea, vomiting, slight congestion, anything else?"

"Can you please check my right ear? I have discomfort."

I put away the tool I had used earlier and reached into my briefcase for the otoscope. I prepared it and placed it in his ear, but as soon as I was close enough to his face, Sasuke uttered a sentence in a low voice that I heard clearly and made my chest ache.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to hear your voice."

Had Sasuke lied? Yes, he had. He had pretended to be sick in order to bring forward a medical checkup so he could have a visit. His lungs were in perfect condition and so was his right ear.

I wrinkled my forehead and swallowed saliva to calm myself. I stopped checking him and put the device away. As I did so, I thought and thought of a solution. I turned to Sasuke and his very bleak image struck a chord with me. How desperate would he have to be to lie about his health and settle for hearing me talk?

"I won't give up, I'm going to get your freedom." I thought.

From my briefcase I took out a disposable mask and put it on. The guard finally changed the expression in his eyes and looked frightened when he saw me putting it on.

"I suggest you stay at least 13 feet away." I said.

"What's wrong? I can't move from here." He argued.

"I understand, but I'm afraid that what the patient has is contagious, and although it's not very safe, I'd rather avoid a tragedy. I'm going to take a blood sample, so it's up to you whether you stay or go."

After saying these words, I opened a plastic bag containing rubber gloves and began to put them on, exaggerating the situation and scaring the man who was telling me with his facial expression that he was more than willing to leave.