"What the - What does he want?!" Sango fumed. She signaled him to wait and shut the blinds, quickly changing into a light cotton yukata of forest green. Quietly, she put on a green robe and slippers, tying her wet hair into a bun and dropping a small candlestick into her pocket. As she left the bathroom, she stole a glance at the clock.
"One a.m.! Are you kidding me?!" she whispered.
"San... go?" Lee whispered drowsily, stirring in the dark. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Why are you still awake? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no," Sango said casually. "I just can't sleep. I'm just heading out to the garden for a while. Go back to sleep."
"Okay," Lee said, yawning. "Just be careful."
"I will. Goodnight, Honey." Lee yawned again and sank back onto his pillow.
Sango was livid with rage as she stepped quickly and silently over the grass. She snatched up the candle and lit it with a simple jutsu, casting the area in eerie shadows and dull orange light.
"The nerve of that guy!" she thought in disgust. Deserting the village, nearly killing my friend, insulting me and my home... And then the mada chigata has the nerve to come to my house and disturb me like he owns the place! Boy, when I get to him, he'll wish I really had let him die!"
She stomped the last few feet over the lawn and stopped, glaring icily at Sasuke. But to her surprise, he suddenly dropped onto all fours, bowing so deeply that his face was pressed to the ground. Was he apologizing? Asking for forgiveness? She was speechless.
"Stand up," she commanded forcefully. He silently rose, not meeting her eyes out of respect. "Look at me," she said calmly. His eyes rose to meet hers. The instant their eyes locked, Sango shoved her heel into his stomach with shattering force, smashing her fist into his cheek at the same time. He slumped to the ground, coughing and trying to catch his breath. He tried to stand, but she smashed her heel into his face - hard. He groaned in pain, spitting blood onto the ground. Sango roughly grabbed his hair and jerked up his head, slapping him across the cheek. All the time, her face retained its calm, cold expression.
Not saying a word, Sango nicked his neck with a kunai, just enough to draw blood. Then she stuck it into the back of his hand, shallowly but painfully. He finally looked her in the face, and it was a terrible transformation. Her once calm, cool face was like that of a demon. Here eyes were deeply bloodshot, with dark circles beneath them. Her dark hair was tangled and hung unkempt around her face, torn from the bun. Blood ran from her mouth where she was biting her lip in anger, seeming not to notice. She panted with the effort of restraining herself from killing him then and there.
Then, as suddenly as it had come, her anger seemed to subside. She stood, dragging him to his feet by the shirt. She placed both hands on his shoulders, looking earnest.
"Look, I -" he began."
"Hush," she snapped. "I only did this as punishment for your previous actions, nothing more. There has to be hurt before there can be healing." He looked up, surprised.
"Healing?" She nodded slowly, taking his wounded hand in hers and healing it.
"Understand this," said Sango. "Wound the body and it heals. But wound the heart and the scar always remains, no matter how faint it may become." She paused as if thinking. Then, growing even quieter, she said, "No matter how much... someone... tries to help..." He jerked back as if stung by the words. Sango gathered herself.
"Meet me by the Uchicha Estate at noon," said Sango. "Then, and only then, will I be ready to listen to you."
Sasuke sat on the cold stone steps of the Uchiha Estate, nestled among the empty, decaying buildings. This place was so full of happiness, hurt, heartbreak... Why? Even after all these years, he couldn't understand. What had he done to deserve this? And Itachi... Why had he been forced to commit the deed? What had any of them done wrong?
A tear came to his eye, but he quickly brushed it away. Weakness wasn't his style.
A small shadow fell across his shoulder.
"Hello, Sango," he said without emotion.
"Hello, Sasuke," she replied as coldly as him. Standing by his right side, she lowered herself onto her knees. Sasuke drew back in shock, seeing her rounded stomach for the first time.
"You - I mean - And then - er -" he stammered. Sango suddenly lost her self-composure and started laughing hysterically. She doubled over, tears running down her face.
"What?" asked Sasuke, a little embarrassed.
"I... don't... know! Ha ha ha ha!" Sango replied between laughs. "I just... your reaction... Ha ha ha ha! That's just what my friends did! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Is it really that funny?"
"It shouldn't be, but... It's... heh heh... just so... unlike you!" She finally stopped laughing and gained control of herself, brushing tears from her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I really am," she said gently. "I know this is already hard for you. But it's nothing personal, I promise. My hormones are just messed up." Sasuke said nothing.
Then he said, very softly, "My mom said she... was like that... when she was going to have me..." He stopped again, as if embarrassed to admit he was the least bit normal. Sango waited, not pushing him to talk to her. "Why? Why... did you..." he said, pausing in pained thought again.
"I'm so worthless to all of you..." he whispered. "To this village... I betrayed you all... attacked my friends and yours... And still, you... you saved me. You took care of me and let me live, despite all of that. Why?" Sango was surprised he had come out with this question so quickly. In fact, she was stunned.
"I really can't answer that," said Sango.
"Please, I have to kn-"
"I can't answer because I don't know, myself," she said indifferently. "Maybe it was sympathy for all you've been through. Maybe it's maternal instincts happening at a bad time. Maybe it's because I don't think I could stand hurting one of my fellow Konoha Shinobi. But I don't truly believe it's any of those." She paused, and Sasuke's face betrayed concern as he waited for her answer.
"I think... the real reason is that I have no right to take your life. The only ones who do, if they choose to, are Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno." Sasuke flinched noticeably at the sound of their names.
"They've forgotten me," he said coldly. Sango clenched her fist until the veins bulged out, slamming it into the ground beside her and leaving a small crater in the stone.
"Quit saying things like that!" she snapped. "Do you know how hard it was for me to smash the ground instead of your face?!" Her voice was trembling from anger. "You always assume the entire world is as cruel and neglectful as your brother. Well, let me tell you something. They've never forgotten you for a second!
"Sakura's a world-class medic now, powerful enough to shatter this whole estate with one punch. But she recently told me even that isn't enough for her. She said that unless her skills can bring you back, it's worth next to nothing. She's never loved anyone else but you, and she cries in her sleep every night knowing you still haven't come back!
"And Naruto... He's never stopped trying to find you, either. He became Hokage last year, but even with all that responsibility, he still searches for you every day. He's never given up on you, and you forgot about him! Why would anyone choose you as a friend, you selfish son of a bitch!" Tears of hopelessness and pity streamed down her face, and her voice broke.
"They've given up their whole lives for you!" she sobbed. "Nine years," she whispered. "Nine. You left so long ago, and... And still they never gave up on you! Please, please, just..." she cried. "Just don't let them down!" She looked toward Sasuke and stopped short. He was silent and still, but tears flowed freely down his cheeks.
"I do... I do want... to see them..." he sobbed. "I want... to apologize... and make it right... But I... can never face them again... I hurt them so much... How can I ever even begin to apologize?"
"You don't have to," said a familiar voice as two shadows fell on Sasuke's shoulders.
"We heard enough," said another. The owner of the second voice knelt next to Sasuke, saying nothing as her pink hair whipped around her face. Sasuke slowly turned to look at her, not seeming to believe his eyes. The world seemed to freeze, the only movement coming from their clothes and hair rustling in the cold November air.
"S... Sakura..." he whispered.
"S-S-Sas-" she stammered. Her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears. "Sasuke!" she sobbed. She laid her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying as if her heart would break in two. He let her, vowing silently to himself that he would never push her away again. Fresh tears flowed down his cheeks as he put one arm around her.
After a few minutes, Sakura released him, looking at him with soft, hurt eyes. Sasuke suddenly froze as he saw who was standing behind her.
A tall, strong young man, clad in red-orange robes with black flames at the hem. He wore black pants and a black shirt beneath the robe, and a black headband on his forehead, easy to see against his spiky blond hair. His clear, bright blue eyes stared coldly and angrily at Sasuke. His name even had an angry sound to the word.
"Naruto..."