Full SUMMARY

She couldn't believe it, and neither could he. Sasuke killed Naruto, who was his teammate; best friend; brother in bond. He also killed his brother in blood, Itachi. She knew it wouldn't be end of the hearts he would stop the beating of.

OR: After two years of submission, grieving the loss of her precious people, Sakura finally finds within herself the resolve to correct history once Sasuke announces the Fifth Shinobi World War. Sakura makes the biggest sacrifice—she travels back in time, through the realm of the dead, in order to right the wrongs of the man she loves, leaving behind her new-born daughter, Sarada.

Chapter ONE
Naive

Naive.

She was naive to believe that she could land a hit; naive to believe that she could defeat him; naive to believe that she could change him; naive to believe that he wouldn't take what he wanted, when he wanted.

"Sasuke-kun...stop," she whispered, trying her hardest to sound firm. But her voice was shaky, and she had no control as he straddled her hips.

Sakura felt his hot breath on her neck and she cringed—the sensation felt like a snake slithering across her skin.

But Sasuke took her action as a sign of enthusiasm. He was desperate, hands almost clinging onto her clothes. Sakura wouldn't look him in the eye, for all she would see was a glint of frightening neuroticism.

"You've always wanted this," he hissed, biting her earlobe. "Don't lie to yourself." His rough mouth trailed her neck, right above her pulse, as his calloused hands fumbled with her vest.

It was true that she always wanted him.

But not like this—not with Naruto's death only occurring hours before, and not while she was still uncertain about Kakashi's status, either. Her teacher had tried to knock sense into Sasuke earlier. Despite the Uchiha's weakened state, however, Sakura could still feel how powerful he remained, and could only assume that he had beaten Kakashi.

("Promise me you won't interfere," Kakashi had told her, limping from his injuries. "I failed as a teacher. It's my responsibility to face him."

All she could see from her position was blue electricity in the distance, and within five minutes Sasuke had found her, and she attacked.)

Sakura choked on a sob. "Not here...not now...please..."

She felt him go rigid above her, lean body tensing, and the medic released a shaky breath as he stopped. He came back to his senses, grunted, and pushed himself off her. But Sakura couldn't get herself to stand.

The tears wouldn't stop.

She couldn't believe it, and apparently, neither could he. He killed Naruto, who was his teammate; best friend; brother in bond. He also killed his brother in blood, Itachi. She knew it wouldn't be end of the hearts he would stop the beating of.

But foolish, foolish Sakura knew she still loved him, even as he knocked her out.

Her next waking moments passed in a blur. They were like snapshots; her eyes would flutter open and she would wake up in different locations, confused and lacking energy.

The first time she woke up, she groggily recongized that she was in a make-shift tent, explosions ringing nearby, before her eyes closed again. Then, she was being hauled by a large man (who she would later realize was Jūgo) through trees. Finally, her wounds were being treated by that red-haired girl, Karin.

The rest of the time she lacked consciousness, however, she dreamt of sitting in her childhood bedroom with her inner-personality. Sakura hadn't seen Inner since she was fourteen-year-old, and the figment hadn't grown in age since then. Both remained in silence as they sat criss-crossed on her bedding.

"They drugged you, didn't they?" asked Inner at some point

She shrugged at her sub-conscious, "I guess so."

Sakura woke up for the final time in a jail cell, she recognized, as her eyes opened wearily. Hesitantly, she sat up from her bedding, and discovered she was facing the bars of the cell. Across from her, she saw a familiar face in an identical prison.

"Sai...?" she whispered meekly, voice scratchy from lack of use.

He looked up, face lighting up in recognition. Then he smiled, saying, "Ugly. You're up."

Her lips curled into a grin, and she felt better at the familiar nickname, despite how much it infuriated her in the past. "How long was I out?"

"Two weeks. Kabuto stopped injecting you with the syringe yesterday."

"Ah," was all she could get out. She frowned. "What happened?"

Sakura wanted to laugh at his attempt to mimic her frown, but held herself as he spoke robotically. He explained nonchalantly:

"After Naruto's death—"

She winced, the mention of her friend's passing almost hurting physically.

"—Sasuke, alongside Orochimaru, Kabuto, Taka and Orochimaru's experiments got to Konoha after Sasuke admitted that he killed Naruto and the Five Kage. They captured the village. It was easy since the war already thinned our ranks, and most of our shinobi were still at the battle ground. And, of course, Sasuke has gained unimaginable power. Thus we had no formidable defence at the village. What was left of the Allied Forces rushed to get here, but it was too late. Sasuke declared himself Hokage of the entire world, using the civilians of Konoha as leverage, and eventually, took over all the other villages as well. Most have already surrendered. He also brought you and Kakashi with him. As far as I know, Kakashi is alright; just not here."

Although relief filled her at news of Kakashi being alive, she wasn't surprised that most surrendered. Sakura knew that the majority of shinobi, once faced with the possibility of not only their deaths, but the deaths of the people they were meant to protect, would give in and accept Sasuke's claim to Hokage. They still had hopes and dreams, friends and families.

(Sakura refused to think of the village leaders that were dead. The Tsuchikage, Mizukage, Raikage, Gaara, Tsunade-shishou—

She couldn't do it.)

"And Ino?" Sakura asked, voice hopeful that her best friend didn't perish.

"In the resistance. Most of our comrades are."

"Oh," she whispered. "And what are you doing here?"

Sai smiled, and it almost broke her heart. "I got captured during the first invasion attempt by the resistance. I surrendered three days ago. I have little fight left within."

Sakura's eyes widened at this revelation, for if neither him, Kakashi-sensei or Naruto were strong enough to hold their own against Sasuke, how could she, the weakest link of Team 7?

She hadn't expected to see him again; not after the incident at the Valley of End, where he was on top of her as she laid in the rubble. But suddenly, ninja stormed her cell, and although she didn't have her chakra due to the sealing restraints, she still caused havoc, defeating three of them with her bear fists.

Her eyes met Sai's as Sakura fought the last one standing—she tried to memorize the exchange with her teammate, for she sensed Sasuke getting nearer, and she quickly slammed the head of the unknown shinobi into the sink, knocking him out.

She felt pure fear. She couldn't hear her rapid breathing as he go closer, and her eyes throbbed painfully. Despite knowing it would be a humiliating defeat, when she saw him, she gave it her all.

He decided to humor her with hand-to-hand combat, nostalgic amusement in his eyes. However, soon he activated his Sharingan, and Sakura could only assume he did it due to boredom.

Sakura was out only a minute after the fight (if it could even be called that) began, sucked into a genjutsu where her surroundings were dark, her body was paper, and she was burning.

The next few months passed in a blur. She was in a cell in the Torture and Investigation centre, she discovered quickly, under solitary confinement.

If she was lucky that day, low-level shinobi would come in and practice basic torture techniques on her.

(The scumbag grabbed her unkempt, overgrown hair and forced her face into the ice cold water. Sakura couldn't breathe, and the pain in her lungs was intangible. As her body was deciding whether it would be better to breath in water than to breathe in nothing at all, he pulled her out.

"I don't understand why you're so difficult. Just accept him as your Hokage."

Sakura was coughing, gasping for air. "Never," she choked out.

He shrugged, "Very well."

And again she was in water.)

Sometimes, however, a slightly higher-level ninja would come and feed her, then punch or kick her in the gut, causing her to vomit. She knew it was coming every time, but she needed the nourishment, and this was all she could get.

(The tase of bile was unbearable. Sakura prepared herself for further beating, and watched as Bashira—a medic Sakura had her hand in training—sat in the corner, looking ahead indifferently. Once she was battered, her torturer called over the slightly older man and ordered him to heal.

Then he'd beat her again.)

When she was really unlucky, and they didn't have the resources to continue the torture, they would lock her in a box for the day, dubbed the "blackout box".

(She was crouched over, and the distinct feeling of an aching pain in her back was evident and almost unbearable. But nothing—not even the darkness and lack of sound—was as unbearable as being alone with her thoughts of how she failed Naruto.)

Sakura persevered, and never accepted her former teammate's position as Hokage. It only took one thing to break her, however, and that was an ANBU walking in and informing her that her parents died during a raid.

She couldn't take it anymore. She gave in, and said the words:

"I, Haruno Sakura, pledge my allegiance to Uchiha Sasuke and accept him as the sole Kage."

Suddenly, Sakura was back in the cell from what seemed like a lifetime ago, but Sai wasn't across from her. In his place sat a man with an average build, brown hair and an overgrown goatee.

His face were tired, as if he'd seen too much. He appeared to be about ten years older, and spoke first, "How long did you last?"

The pink-haired woman could only assume she looked worse than him. Sakura wondered if she had seen him before as she asked, "What's the date?"

"21st of May."

She did the math, and said, "A little over seven months."

His eyes widened. "I only lasted two weeks!" The man was clearly flabbergasted, unable to comprehend how she carried on.

She couldn't herself.

The man's face lit up with recognition. "Are you...Haruno Sakura? You...you are Kakashi-san's student! I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you!"

"Yeah, I am," she replied absentmindedly. Out of courtesy, she asked, "And you are...?"

"Ranka. I used to work in the T&I force, and I can tell you even we were never as cruel."

A sound of acknowledgment was all she could muster up, and within a day, the man was freed, and she remained alone, withering and rotting.

"Sakura."

She didn't think she would ever see him again. But he was right there, on the other side of her cell, two guards by his side. He made a hand signal to dismiss them, and within a moment, the steal door they exited from was shut loudly.

Sasuke eyed her. "You look well," he observed, moving closer.

"Thanks," she muttered absentmindedly. Her thoughts were preoccupied, taking him in; Sasuke was wearing the cape and hat of the Hokage.

Surprisingly, however, nothing within Sakura burned at the sight, despite knowing Naruto should be wearing the clothes.

She felt numb. They broke her.

"I'll get straight to the point," he remarked. "After your release, you have three options. You can either work as an active kunoichi or medic at the hospital. Or, you can retire early to a civilian life."

The pink-haired woman didn't say anything. She waited, but when he didn't continue, she replied, voice cracking, "And the third option?"

Sakura noted the slight hesitation. Then, nonchalantly, he explained: "The third option would be to help me revive my clan."

Sakura didn't have to think twice. She had nothing or no one to fight for, anyways. The hope had been beaten out of her.

"I choose the third option."

At least this way, she could say she accomplished one of the goals she set at the age of twelve. She was never strong enough to catch up with Naruto or Sasuke, but at least she could call herself Uchiha Sasuke's wife.

Sad, lovesick Sakura.

She gave herself to him. He was her first. He never forced her to do anything. He knew he didn't have to. She had been his since before he defected, and eventually days turned to months.

Every night he would be on top of her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. The performance was almost convincing, but Sakura knew he didn't love her, because he wouldn't look her in the eye. It was a business exchange through and through.

The act of sex was just him completing the goal of reviving his clan. Sasuke always got what he wanted—he wanted to become stronger by defecting from Konoha, so he did. He wanted to kill Itachi, so he did. He wanted to become Hokage, so he did.

Ayame, the cook, who formerly worked at Ichiraku's with her father, told Sakura everything she knew about the village (since Sakura herself wasn't allowed to go outside because her husband believed her position of carrying the next Uchiha made her a target). Apparently, Sasuke's new position was a surprise to the villagers, and gossip spread quickly. However, once he wore the Hokage's attire, he was removed from the missing-nin list by his own order, and life moved on.

Those that tried to compromise his goals were promptly taken care of.

Kakashi defied his orders, encouraging the resistance. He was sent to a remote island for an indefinite time.

Temari, who was named the new Kazekage, called for a counter invasion of Konoha by Suna. She was assassinated by Sasuke's ANBU, who were too scared to deny his orders due to the seal on the back of their necks, which could kill them if Sasuke made a single hand sign.

Hinata, to avenge her first love, attempted a coup with the rest of the Hyuga. The clan was massacred by an underground organization Sasuke started which was similar to ROOT, bodies burned to ashes by the operatives following their Hokage's orders mindlessly. Only Hinata herself survived; Sasuke thought survivor's guilt was the best punishment for the former heiress.

Sasuke was sick. But Sakura was selfish, and she wanted him.

Sakura discovered she was pregnant one year after she signed the marriage documents, two years since Sasuke's inauguration. They were in the process of moving into the Uchiha manor, when she was suddenly faced with a feeling of nausea.

Scanning her stomach with medical chakra, she felt the start of a human life, and smiled genuinely for the first time since the war.

The next day she heard of Hinata's suicide, and that smile turned into pained sobs.

She barely saw Sasuke after she announced her pregnancy. Being away from him allowed her to have some time on her own, alone with her thoughts, which she couldn't handle.

Although her love for him was still as overwhelming as ever, her resentment for the man she loved only grew. They were contradicting emotions, and Sakura couldn't take it, breaking down on a regular basis.

She was as bad as him, and she knew it. The guilt was catching up, after nearly two years of nothing but numbness.

One night she felt multiple presences outside her room. They were familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Her heart-rate rose. There was no way she could defend herself. Pregnancy messed with the chakra flow of kunoichi, thus even with her supreme control, she couldn't perform more than basic, Academy-level jutsu. She didn't want to engage in hand-to-hand combat either; that could injure her baby.

No one would touch her baby.

Soundlessly, she pulled out her kunai, one from under her pillow and two from under her bedding. She would have to get them from a distance. If she could get at least one down, she could potentially hold her own. The commotion would cause the guards to come and take care of the others.

Sakura aimed as the window creaked open. The second she saw a lean body—male, she registered—enter, she threw. She got him in the stomach, but her skills were rusty, so she missed any vital organs.

Cursing herself, she aimed for the other two, who were women. However, they were on high alert after witnessing the fall of their accomplice, and dodged easily. Simultaneously, Sakura spiked her chakra in a signal the equivalent of "help" in the shinobi world.

"Sakura! What the hell!" came a loud whisper.

She recognized the voice quickly. Her heart seemed to stop beating. Ino.

The lights flickered open. Ino stared at the man she hit, Shikamaru, with disbelief. Behind her stood Tenten, lips pursed and eyes sunken.

"No," Sakura exclaimed in a hushed tone, standing up and rushing towards the fallen man. He grunted as she fell to the ground, and she pulled up his shirt to inspect the wound. "No, no, no. Shikamaru, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you!"

She wanted to smack herself. She couldn't comprehend how she didn't recognize the presences of the people she spent most of her life with.

Shikamaru smirked. "Troublesome," he remarked quietly, feigning a sigh. "Is this how you treat all your rescuers?"

Those cursed tears began to fall again. But she was giggling at the same time.

She felt Ino embrace her from behind, her tears soaking Sakura's top. "Forehead..." she whimpered.

"Pig," Sakura smiled weakly at the best friend she hadn't seen in two years. She wondered momentarily what happened to the ANBU operative stationed outside her house, but saw the blood on Ino's jacket, and didn't need further answers.

She heard a slight laugh from Tenten. When she turned back, however, the brunette didn't seem happy; she looked at the edge of hysterics. "Well, Sakura. What are you waiting for? Heal him."

The medic felt a slight wave of nausea hit her. Tenten—the vibrant girl she had gotten to know—was gone, replaced by a shell of her old self. The Will of Fire within her had burned out.

"Yeah. That would be nice," Shikamaru said, groaning.

Sakura snapped back into reality, stammering, "I...I can't."

Ino furrowed her eyebrows, nose red from crying. "Why not?" she questioned, confused.

The medic's body tensed. She knew she had to tell them. Gathering her courage, she whispered, "I...I'm...I'm pregnant. Four months."

It was barely audible, but Ino heard it. Her eyes were wide and mouth agape as she went rigid in Sakura's arms. She looked down at Sakura's ring finger, and her fears were confirmed. The look of betrayal became apparent on her face, and the blonde pushed herself away from her best friend with urgency.

Silence filled the room for a few seconds, and Sakura began to get up, feeling trapped. Suddenly, she felt a sharp slap across her cheek.

It was Tenten. Tears fell freely down her face, and rage filled her chocolate brown eyes. "You traitor," she breathed, a menacing edge in her tone. Her volume then rose. "While Sasuke was killing Gai-sensei and Lee and Chouji and so many more, you were here, getting fucked by him!"

Sakura's breath hitched at the mention of the deaths of her colleagues. She didn't hear about them from Ayame. Now that she thought about it, however, logically, Ayame wouldn't have had the clearance to know more than the general public.

"You could have helped the resistance, but instead you were here!" she spat.

The brunette was shaking violently with anger. Sakura was too, only of panic, and she felt the sensation of wanting to vomit. She couldn't bring herself to speak.

Shikamaru wouldn't glance at her. She managed to meet Ino's eyes, who was looking at her as if she was a stranger.

Then she felt him, rushing towards their room at lighting speed, clearly having felt her "rescuers"; it was the only chakra she could recognize like the back of her hand, as he entered the building.

Sasuke-kun.

"You need to leave!" she cried in a hushed tone. "He's here—"

And suddenly the door flung open and Sasuke slammed Tenten, the one who was closest to Sakura, into the wall opposite, grasping her by the neck. His Sharingan and Rinnengan were activated.

She stood there. Completely and utterly useless against him.

I have to do something I have to do something I have to do something I have to—

Before she could stop herself, Sakura grabbed a kunai clattered on the floor from when she tried to attack Ino and Tenten.

She brought it to her neck.

"Sasuke, stop!" she screamed. "Or I'm gone!"

She saw the subtle tense of the muscles on his back, something only few would notice. Slowly, he let go Tenten, dropping her to the floor, and she hurriedly took a strangled breath. He turned around and looked at Sakura, but she never averted her eyes from his feet, knowing from experience that despite being a genjustsu type, she stood no chance against his kekkei genkai.

Subconsciously, she noticed Shikamaru and Ino were already in battle position. But the chances of beating Sasuke at this point was impossible. He was raw power.

After a moment the man she loved said, "You won't do it." It was matter-of-fact, and Sakura knew he was right, for she already fell in love with the baby growing in her stomach. However, Sasuke had no way of proving her bluff, and he would not risk his heir.

"I will!" she cried, panting wildly. She tried to calm down, inhaling deeply. "Don't push me."

When he didn't move, she spoke again, this time to Ino.

"Ino, heal Shikamaru. Then run. And don't come back."

The blonde didn't argue, and got on her knees. Two minutes passed and she could feel Sasuke's burning gaze on the kunai, carried by shaking hands.

At some point, she felt other shinobi—probably ANBU—open the door. They froze to asses the situation, and she spoke with momentum, "If they hurt any of them, I wont hesitate. Call them off."

Sakura knew that if the ANBU left, they would simply wait outside the house and capture Ino, Shikamaru and Tenten, most probably beckoning re-enforcements. The trio would stand no chance. Here, however, she had leverage; the next Uchiha, whose unborn life she could end with the single strike of her own neck. She was a well-trained medical ninja. She could find her jugular or carotid without feeling for it.

Sasuke was about the make the hand motion to dismiss the ANBU, but she stopped him.

"They don't leave. They stay here, and don't attack. If they even move God help me Sasuke, it's over."

He pursed his lips. "Annoying," he mumbled.

After two minutes, Ino finished healing Shikamaru to a sufficient standard. She helped him up and Tenten joined them. Opening the window, the trio left one by one. Ino was the last one to jump out the three story house, turning to look at her best friends, gaze lingering. But Sakura couldn't let her guard down, so she didn't see it, only noting her departure when she heard the third set of feet hit the ground below.

Sakura stood there for another five minutes, trying to give her old friends as much time as possible to escape. Then Sasuke lost his patience.

At unseeable speed, he was suddenly near her, smacking the kunai out her hand. She blinked, and then he was behind her to knock her out.

Just like when he was leaving the village for the first time, Sakura didn't fight it.

Notes:

✿ I am not a good writer by any means, and am only trying to improve! I'm always open to constructive criticism.
✿ Are the characters to OOC? I felt like it was accurate considering the trauma everyone went through because of Sasuke's regime, but I'm not sure. I know Sasuke seems strange, but it'll be clear why in future chapters!
✿ I know Sakura is super lovesick and triggering, but please understand why! Firstly, I personally think that Sakura's unconditional love for Sasuke is kind of one of her most admirable traits, so I kept them in their. Secondly, character development will take time, and even at the end of the fanfic, she wont be perfect, because that just isn't realistic because she is human. Things will move slow!

Anyhow, please let me know your thoughts!