Echoes

Chapter Thirteen

Dirty Harry

Sasuke took Sakura by the shoulders and pulled her into the relative privacy of a shop doorway.

"What?" He was confused and quite worried at Sakura's apparent distress.

Sakura worried her lip between her teeth before answering. "Those voices... they're the ones who attacked me."

Sasuke's eyes shot to the two men sat laughing on the nearby bench. "Are you sure?"

Sakura glared fiercely. "Of course I'm sure! They aren't voices I'm likely to forget."

Sasuke rubbed her arms in a pacifying gesture. "Okay, I believe you. Just wait here while I go and talk to them."

Sakura shook her head and grabbed on to his sleeves. "No, Sasuke!"

"Relax." He soothed. "I'll be right back."

Sasuke gently untangled her fingers from his shirt and headed back down the street. Sakura stepped after him, pausing in the middle of the pavement and listening to Sasuke's footsteps get further away. She wrapped her arms around herself and shifted her weight from foot to foot anxiously. Metsuki stayed close to her and she felt a little better having him there.

Sasuke closed the distance to bench quickly, his eyes darting back towards Sakura frequently. He focused on the bench when he was a few pace away, but frowned when he saw the two men were no longer sat there. He cast his eyes around in confusion and groaned when he spotted them again. He had no idea that he had been quite so distracted with keeping Sakura on his radar, because the two men had apparently strolled right past him and were now on a collision course with his date.

Sakura listened carefully, trying to pick up on what Sasuke was saying to the men but it was silent; not even a snippet of Sasuke's voice reached her ears. She could hear a mother and her son a little further down the street, the child asking for sweets, the mother trying to tempt him with an apple from a nearby greengrocers instead. There was a low buzz of chatter from the cafe across the street, and footsteps approaching her.

Sakura perked up, hoping it was Sasuke, but then deflated a little when she heard two pairs of feet. The feet came closer and Sakura took a step to the side to make way. One of the people was broader than she had expected however, and a large arm knocked in to Sakura's shoulder. She staggered a little and the person grunted, beginning to mumble something before cutting off abruptly.

"Well would you look here? I guess you didn't choke yourself to death in that closet."

Sakura felt her stomach leap into her throat at the voice.

"This must be fate or something. We owe you a thank you – your things brought us a pretty penny at the brokers." The voice continued gloating and the sound of a second voice laughing snapped Sakura from her stupor. She stumbled backwards, her foot catching on an uneven piece of paving and sending her sprawling to the floor. Sakura's surprised yelp caused Metsuki to begin barking furiously at the two men, his hackles raised, and it effectively drew the entire attention of the street.

The thieves looked at each other uneasily, knowing the attention was bad for them. The smaller one muttered a terse command to his partner. "Come on, let's go."

Not chancing going past the angry dog, they turned to head back down the street but found themselves face to face with a tall, scowling man. His black eyes were fierce as they took in the woman on the floor.

"Is there a problem here?"

The smaller crook snorted at the question. "Nothing that concerns you. Now you want to move it?"

"No." The man said shortly and nodded towards the pink haired girl behind them. "You see, she concerns me and so I do think we have a problem." Sasuke glanced back at Sakura and was glad to see the mother from down the street was helping her to her feet. "Did I just hear you implicate yourself in a crime?"

The men shared uneasy looks and Sasuke curled his lip in distaste.

"You didn't hear nothin'" The large man spat.

"What's it to you, anyway?" The smaller one asked dismissively, trying to move around Sasuke.

The angry Uchiha stepped to the side to intercept him, withdrawing his badge from his trouser pocket as he did so. "Officer Uchiha, KPD. That is what makes it my business. Now," he ignored the panicked looks on their faces. "I'd like you to come to the station so we can get your prints... there's nothing to worry about if you're innocent, right?"

"Screw you!" The smaller man spat, pushing past Sasuke roughly.

Sasuke grabbed his arm and spun him around, gripping his collar and shoving him up against the glass front of a butcher's shop. "You listen to me, punk. It wasn't a request." He glared furiously at the weedy man in his grasp, the urge to twist his hands around his slimy little neck almost overpowering.

Sasuke sensed movement behind him and moved to the left slightly, letting the fist from the larger man sail past his head and collide heavily with the shop window. The theif howled in pain and staggered backwards, clutching his hand to his chest. Sasuke could see the shop keeper through the window, talking on the phone. Sasuke nodded gratefully at him, glad someone had decided to call the police, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get the two men to the station while he had no car of even any cuffs.

Sasuke fixed a fierce glare back on the man in his grip. "You want to run? Fine. But this time we've all got a good look at your cowardly faces. Not as easy as beating up a blind girl this time, is it?"

The crowd muttered in disgust at that and the small man met Sasuke's glare with one of his own but made no move to break free. The larger man was now bent double over his apparently broken hand and Sasuke didn't foresee him putting up much more of a resistance.

He kept his attention carefully divided on both of the criminals for several more minutes, and was glad when a squad car pulled up and Shikamaru and Chouji climbed out. Chouji went to deal with the cursing man and his broken hand, and Shikamaru took the smaller one from Sasuke.

The criminal glared at Sasuke as Shikamaru cuffed his arms behind his back before smirking suddenly. "All this for that blind bitch?" He said lowly and then scoffed derisively. "She must really be a great lay."

Sasuke saw red and before he could think about what he was doing, he had brought his arm back and sent his fist flying straight in to the man's nose, relishing the feel of the cartilage crunching beneath his knuckles. The crowd gasped and the man groaned in pain. Shikamaru sent Sasuke a pointed look and shook his head, but Sasuke couldn't bring himself to care.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, the temptation to take another swing welling up inside him. "I'll be down at the station soon." He said simply and looked away from the man now whimpering about his nose.

Shikamaru nodded and forced the perp in to the back of the squad car. The crowd slowly dispersed as Sasuke made his way towards Sakura, stunned looks on their faces.

Sakura looked miserable, twisting her hands together in front of her and her lower lip trembling slightly. Metsuki was stood protectively neck to her, his ears flat against his head, but he lowered himself to the floor as Sasuke approached.

Sasuke thanked the woman who had stayed with her and the lady smiled, jotting down her name and telephone number on a scrap of paper, offering to be a witness if the need arose. Sasuke would usually be suspicious of a woman trying to get him to take their numbers, but the woman genuine, and happily married if the ring on her left hand was anything to go by. She took her son's hand and led him away, the little boy casting a longing look at the Labrador he was leaving behind.

Sasuke took Sakura's hands in his and she winced. He frowned, turning her palms to face upwards and saw that she had grazed them as she fell to the floor. The pink skin was dotted with small wells of blood and he was mindful of his grip. "Come on, we should get to the station so I can give my side of things."

Sasuke was just fishing around for his phone so he could call a taxi when the butcher who had called the police called out to them. "I can drive you," he offered, locking the front door to his shop. "It's the least I can do really. The young lady looks like she's been through the mill."

Sasuke nodded in thanks and climbed in to the back of the man's car, Sakura unwilling to let him go.

Kakashi was waiting at the station when they got there. Instead of heading straight up to the offices,

Sasuke had led Sakura through the public entrance and to the desk where the criminals would have been booked.

Kakashi was stood with Shikamaru and Chouji, talking to the officer manning the desk.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Kakashi's unusually severe expression. "Where are they?"

"Holding cells." Kakashi jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "He's pressing charges, Sasuke."

Sasuke felt Sakura stiffen alongside him but his face remained neutral – he had expected as much. "I'd guessed he would."

Kakashi shook his head and sighed. "You know there will have to be an internal enquiry in to this. You'll be on desk work until they give you the all clear to go back out in to the field again."

Sasuke shrugged. "They won't take too long. They won't take a perp's word above an officer's."

Kakashi groaned. "I know, gut they'll still have to suspend you and produce a report for your record. The force can't be seen as corrupt now, can we?" When his protégé's gaze remained steely, Kakashi's attention shifted to the girl at Sasuke's side and he noticed her pensive expression.

"Well I suppose a thank you is in order, Sakura. You got those crooks off the streets." Sakura nodded uneasily and Kakashi's expression softened. "We'll have to take get a statement when you're ready."

"She's hurt." Sasuke cut in brusquely. He raised one of Sakura's hands so the cuts were on view "Statements can wait until after her hands have been cleaned."

Kakashi nodded and waved Sasuke and Sakura past him. They took the lift up to the offices, not a word said between them, although Sasuke watched Sakura's face carefully.

The bullpen was as busy as ever, but Sasuke noticed a few heads turn to look at him as he made his way to his office – news travelled fast apparently. Sasuke ignored his colleagues and got Sakura settled in his office before fetching the first aid kit from the from the kitchen. He returned to find her in the same position as he had left, and Metsuki sat dutifully next to her, bright eyes keen and attentive.

Sasuke knelt in front of her and took her left hand in his gently. He cleaned the dirt from her scrapes with antiseptic wipes with soft strokes, pausing whenever she winced although she didn't make a sound. Once all the muck was removed, Sasuke could see that her skin was barely damaged, and he smoothed some salve onto her palms, leaving them uncovered.

"They'll be fine." Sasuke said, frowning when Sakura gave no indication she had heard him. "Have I upset you?"

Sakura furrowed her brow and released a long exhale of air. "Why is that man pressing charges?"

"I punched him."

"Why?"

Sasuke watched her carefully. "Because he was being rude about you."

"And now they'll suspend you for it?"

"No," Sasuke argued. "An internal panel will weigh my word against his and decide who is telling the truth... they won't believe him, Sakura."

"But in the meantime you're suspended right? No matter how you dress it up you've still got in to trouble because of me."

Sasuke blinked in surprise. "Is that what you think?"

"It's true isn't it?" Sakura stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around her body. "You've done nothing but help me and I put your career in jeopardy." Her guilt seemed to switch to annoyance in a split second. "You shouldn't have lost your temper!"

Sasuke scowled fiercely and took a hold of her shoulders. "I would have gladly beaten him within an inch of his life knowing he deserved it. For a punch to the nose I'll get a slap on the wrist, and it won't even be as bad because I was off duty." He ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Damn it, Sakura!"

The girl turned her head and he watched the sad expression cloud her features. "You still shouldn't have had to do that for me."

"Tch. Annoying." Sasuke took her chin his hand and turned her to face him. "I did it because you're important to me. I wasn't about to let him talk trash about you. Can't you be like a normal woman and swoon at the show of dominance."

Sakura snorted, and Sasuke could see her fighting to keep a smile from lifting her lips. "More like pig-headedness... and I'm not a normal woman, Sasuke."

"Don't I know it." With that he pressed his lips to hers, his anger from the day stealing the usual tenderness he showed her and replacing it with urgency and passion.

Sakura rather liked the changed.

She let Sasuke lead her backwards a little until she was leaning against his desk. He bent his head to compensate for the height difference, lacing their hands together, mindful of her palms, and placing them on the desktop. Sakura sighed in to his mouth and Sasuke pressed himself closer than he woulf have thought possible.

"Teme, I- Whoa!"

Sasuke didn't know how he could possibly be that unlucky and pulled away from Sakura, cursing lowly under his breath. He turned to find Naruto shielding his eyes with one hand, the other groping blindly as he tried to feel his way in to the office.

"Ew, ew, ew." The blonde's mutterings were constant and Sasuke sighed, taking a step backwards from the blushing girl on his desk.

"Uncover your eyes Naruto."

A bright blue eye peeked through Naruto's fingers and, seeing that it was safe, Naruto let his hands drop.

"Uh… hey, Sakura-chan." He mumbled awkwardly.

Sakura nodded in response and busied herself with tracing patterns on to the surface of Sasuke's desk with a shaking finger.

"What do you want, Dobe?"

Sasuke's annoyed question snapped Naruto back to life and the blonde scrunched up his face. "I heard about what happened… I gotta say, I never thought you would be the one out of the two of us who got suspended."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief but let the comment slide. "What are you even doing here still?"

Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I kinda fell asleep this afternoon. By the time I woke up and finished my paperwork, the bullpen was already buzzing about your little Dirty Harry moment and I decided to stick around."

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "And?"

"And what?"

"If I know the guys out there, they've already started a pool on what my punishment will be."

Naruto shrugged. "Well Genma's betting that you get down for twenty-five to life and become the prison's… erm 'underdog'." He caught the deadly expression on Sasuke's face and hurried to continue. "But no one else is that stupid and most bets are between you getting off with a warning and a month stuck on desk work."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And what did you bet on?"

Naruto gasped theatrically and held a hand up to his chest. "I'm shocked that you think I'd bet on my best friend!"

"Naruto."

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "I bet that you'd quit the force and become a masked vigilante, fighting crime like a real life Bruce Wayne." Naruto saw the incredulous look Sasuke was sending him and he noticed that even Sakura had raised an eyebrow. "What? I like the outside vote, okay?"

Sakura laughed and Sasuke felt grateful that Naruto had cheered the girl up so he let it slide. "Well I imagine they'll meet to talk about it tomorrow. Do me a favour, Dobe, and keep an ear out for me. I'll be back at the office when they decide what they're doing with me."

Naruto gave Sasuke a mock salute. "Sure thing boss. I'll call you tomorrow as soon as the gossip reaches my ears."

Naruto turned to leave the office when Sasuke called after him. "Naruto?" The blonde looked over his shoulder. "You can deal with my paperwork while I'm off."

Naruto's face fell and he gave his friend a flat look. "Oh goody."

Sasuke smirked as the thorn in his side left the room before focusing his attention back on Sakura. "Are you still mad at me?"

Sakura's cheeks still retained a slight pink flush and she gave a half-hearted shrug. "I think you still have a lot of making up to do, Uchiha."

Sasuke let out a huff of amusement. He could deal with that.

Well, everyone was looking forward to seeing how Sasuke dealt with the crooks… do you think he did the right thing or was he too soft? Too hot-tempered?

Also, I've been getting asked a particular question quite a lot – will Sakura get her eyesight back? I've had the answer to that in my head from the beginning of the story but I'm staying tight-lipped. The story had been going under a lot of changes in how it is panning out in my head, so things could change. But really, no matter what I decide, wouldn't you rather be surprised?

Thanks once again for the amazing reviews, they're just the thing for getting up to on a Monday morning.

I have a very busy week with hospital appointments and training courses, but I'll try my best to post the next chapter on Sunday… so see you then hopefully.