Songs: Nobody's Home (Avril Lavigne), Solitude (Evanescence)
Chapter 2: Explanation
Hours passed and the gates of Konoha finally opened once again, though it did not make such a fuss as to wake other people up. It was about 11 in the evening already.
"We're finally back at Konoha." Neji said, taking off his mask and putting it at the side of his face.
"Are you alright now, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked his pink-haired teammate, who was currently enveloped in a hug by her blonde friend.
Shikamaru glanced at Neji, who merely nodded, understanding the situation. "Sakura, let Naruto accompany you to the hospital. Neji will do the written report while I do the mission report for the Hokage." The lazy genius said considerately
Sakura thanked Naruto as he let go of her and shook her head at her supervisor… well, one of them that is. "It's alright Shikamaru." She glanced at Naruto, concern written clearly on his face. "Let Naruto come with you to do the mission report. I can manage to get myself to the hospital alone."
"But Sakura-chan…" Naruto tried to protest but Sakura put a finger to his lips to stop him from speaking anymore and shook her head again, a smile forming on her face, telling him it's all alright for her.
"Naruto, I'm a big girl now & I'm a medic trained by Tsunade-shishou who happens to be the current hokage. I'm sure I know how to find my way to the hospital." She explained with a playful voice pretending to scold Naruto.
Neji closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and nodded in approval. Shikamaru just sighed and muttered something like "this is too troublesome."
However, Naruto wasn't sure. For all he knows, Sasuke would still be there in the hospital. At least, that's what he heard before they went out on a mission and that he'll be there for quite some time. And he didn't think seeing Sasuke would be a nice thing for Sakura right now, concerning her case. But she said she would be fine and he believed she would be as well.
'Just some past feelings being brought back once again.' Naruto thought
Sakura nodded and smiled half-meaning it and turned around to walk to the…
"Sakura-chan… that ain't the way to the hospital." Naruto said suspiciously
Neji and Shikamaru turned again to face Sakura, both holding serious expressions. They knew where she would go. Apparently Naruto forgot it again.
Green eyes narrowed in sadness at Naruto, "Naruto… I'd like to visit my father first. It's been long since I last came to say hi."
The hyper-active blonde's eyes softened and he grinned sheepishly at her. "Ah… ehehehehehe… sure Sakura-chan! We'll be going then!"
Sakura wave her left hand, right still clutching her chest.
In a puff of smoke the three ANBU disappeared. And Sakura… she walked to the way of the cemetery.
Light footsteps could be heard at the cemetery where honored dead shinobis were buried.
Long pink hair swayed with the breeze of the wind, some strands covering parts of her facial features but she did not mind as she slowly traced the engraved name of her deceased father.
"Tou-san… hey there. I just came back from a mission with Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru. It wasn't hard nor was it easy either, but we're still living." She chuckled dryly
A sad smile could be seen on her face as she recalled the day when Sakura and her mother had found out about her fathers death.
"Be careful Sakura. You know I don't want to be left here working all day by myself." Her mother humored her only daughter
"Everything will be alright mom. Naruto is coming with me anyways. And besides, it's just an escort mission. Nothing to fret about." She smiled at her mom
The deep pink-haired mother of the pink-haired kunoichi just smiled at her, "Alright, but your I heard your father will be here 2 days from now. But he's gonna leave for another mission after a day of rest as one of the jounins have told me to tell him. Can you make it to see your father at least? You know I can't tell him the good news all by myself!"
"I can meet father though it's gonna be on late afternoon. I'll try my best to come earlier. I want to at least spend some limited time with you guys. Naruto would probably rush the mission anyways. And don't worry mom, I'm sure father would be happy that he's gonna get a son." Sakura said, putting on her black leather sandals. One to complete the uniform of hers to get ready for a mission.
"We'll celebrate your achievement of becoming jounin as well, Sakura! Your father would be proud!" Sakura heard her mom say
"I have to get going now mom, I don't want to be late as it is." Sakura said grabbing her pouch of medic supplies. "Bye there little brother!" she said rubbing the 5 months year old fetus inside her mothers womb earning a soft giggle from her mother at her daughters sweeteness. But before she could bolt out of the door, a jounin came to their house and requested the help of Sakura to immediately proceed to the hospital as her father was currently in critical condition. Memebrs of his squad were critically injured as well.
Running to the hospital wasn't that hard, in fact, they lived only 13 blocks away from it.
Green eyes looked at the red sign that was currently on as a signal for an operation being held. She rushed in, the medics inside nodding to her and some sweating for focusing as much chakra as they can to heal the wounds of her father. She started to heal the deep hole in her fathers' shoulder. Concluding it was the result of an arrow, she also found that the weapon had done a through and through job as the muscle tendons of the shoulder were shred and something akin to burnt.
Her father coughed out blood and she stared in fear as she felt his heartbeat getting slower by the second. She could even hear Shizunes voice in the background ordering the other medics to get towels and medicines.
'Shoot' This is bad, this is bad!' Sakura thought as she exerted more chakra to heal the wound.
"S-sakura…" the ragged voice of her father echoed through her ears as she looked at him with teary eyes
"D-dad… hold on… we just need to heal all your injuries and you'll be alright." Sh reassured her father although she couldn't say the same for herself
"I… l-love your m-mother and y-you… you k-know that… r-right?" Sakuras father closed his eyes as he coughed out more blod and all the injuries in his body bled even more.
"Dad! Of course! Me and mom love you too! Don't worry! We'll get through this! And then, when all of this is over you'd get to see you're soon-to-be-born son! Just---just hold on!" Sakura said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"S-son? You mean… y-your m-mother is giving birth… to a boy…?" her faher asked with short breaths, though you could detect the joy in his voice
Sakura nodded and continued to smile and heal his injuries. "That's right dad, four months more and we'll get to have my little brother soon!" She said
"Oi! The bleeding here in his thigh ain't stopping! At this point, he'll lose a another quarter of his blood!" the pink-haired medic
"T-take care… of your mother … and your soon-to-be-brother as well… I---I'm proud… of you…S-Sakura… congratulations… on… passing the j-jounin exams…" he said as his breath stopped
A loud and continous beep could be heard in the operation room as medic lowered their head in sadness.
Sakuras eyes were as wide as saucers. She knew and has even seen people dying… but this is different now. Her father… a person who was always there for her since birth…
She shut her eyes tight as she let her tears fall. A shoulder was placed upon her shoulder showing sympathy or her loss. It was Shizune.
Suddenly, the door to the operation room opened and in came Sakuras mother, a look of shock across her face. Sakura s eyes widened at seeing her mother there. No, she shouldn't be seeing her husband like this. No… no…
"Anata!" Sakura heard her mother say before she fainted and fell to the floor on her back. Shizune rushed to her side as well as herself, she calling out to her mother.
Shizune knowing full well about the pregnant situation of Sakuras mother ordered for the medics to take her to a room right away.
And after days of grieveing and worrying… another bad news came tumbling like a rock rolling off a cliff to destroy a village. Naruto and the others were all there to offer her some comfort but when Tsunade had come in with Shizune, both looking angry and sad at the same time, she knew there was something bad that happened.
"Sakura… your mother is fine. Your father has already been scheduled for a burial in a few days… however… your soon-to-be-little-brother… your mother couldn't handle the shock and forced a constriction to her womb. Trauma got her and the baby was killed in the process…" Tsunade explained slowly and hugged her apprentice tightly as she cried hard against her mentors shoulder, Shizune couldn't help but look away her yes pouring tears as well.
That took another part of her happiness away again… the other was already taken by the departure of the Uchiha or more likely the betrayal. This how the other was taken.
As she walked to the edge of the cliff where a cherry blossom tree stood it's ground, she could not help but let out another pained smile.
'Mom went far enough to become a nin in dedication to fathers death. I admire her for even becoming a chuunin already. Even now she's out on a mission already.' She thought
A sound of shuffling feet made Sakura turn her head toward the source.
Big mistake.
The form of Uchiha Sasuke stood at her front view of him. He was dressed in a black shirt, typical with a wide-collar, and white shin-length pants. He wore the traditional ninja sandals.
He was looking at her with his onyx orbs. A blank stare that's all. Bur he couldn't help but observe the outfit she was wearing.
'She made it to ANBU?' he asked no one in particular
"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun? Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?" Sakura asked softly, only looking at him at the corner of her eye
Sasuke merely gave a 'hn' as a reply and trudged beside her.
Sakura half-glared at her former teammate. 'Stupid prick, doesn't he know how to say any other words?' inner Sakura raged 'But then again, he's always been hot this way…' she added and Sakura mentally rolled her eyes at her inner-selfs' childish antics.
The Uchiha surprisingly broke the awkward silence between the two that had lingered after. And Sakura turned her head to the stars as she listened to him.
"I see you've made it to ANBU." Sasuke said blatantly
Sakura smiled at that. "Yeah…I did, but all the training I've done so far helped me." Her voice turned serious, "My friends were there to help me."
Sasuke turned his head away from the pink-haired ANBU noticing the way she put a pressure to the word 'friends', as if to mock him or so.
Sakura swallowed hard as Sasuke sat about a foots length away from her. He brought one knee up where he rested his left hand while the other outstretched and his right hand lay limp on the ground.
She would've been glad if they were in this position if she hadn't known yet about the existence of another girl—woman, at that, with Sasuke. You could see tears once again brimming at her lower eyelashes.
'If Saske-kun has left the hospital, where is Midori then?' Sakura thought
'Uchiha manor, perhaps?' inner Sakura said angrily
'Yeah... you're right...' Sakura agreed silently and sadly
Breathing in and out a couple of times, she dared to question him about her.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun…"
"Hn"
Sakura bit her lip and lowered her head as she nestled it between her knees. "How did you meet her, Sasuke?" sh asked softly
Sasuke knew who she was referring to. But he didn't mind anyways whether he told her or not, anyways. But… a sense of… guilt? Was it guilt that was stopping him from telling her the answer? No. It was something that made him think twice about everything he had just done and will do if he would answer her. But being the stubborn Uchiha he is, he didn't give into those feelings. He even scowled at the very thought of having to care if he told her or not.
Sakura saw the scowl that appeared at his face in the process of thinking about the answer he'll give her. Shouldn't she have asked that?
"Uh… Sasuke-kun… you don't—"
"I met her six months ago in the Sound lair. Besides Kauto, she would be the one to heal me and bring me food after I train with the bastard." He said monotonously, "She was there for my physical needs."
She remembered all the times where Sasuke would be in pain because of the curse seal and she would always ask him or try to comfort him in as many ways as possible. 'Maybe that Midori girl was far more uselful in comforting him' inner Sakura grumpily mumbled inwardly
A sharp pain tugged at her heart once again and Sakura clutched her chest immediately. Whether it was from what he had said to her just nowor the after-effect of the rogue nins attack, she did not know. But it was quite painful as it brought tears to her eyes even more.
Sasuke did not let the action pass through his trained eyes as he narrowed it in suspicion. A question of why she needed to do that raced through his mind but deemed it as because of what he had just told her. What caught him off-guard, however, was the fact that she had turned her face to him with a smile, a pained smile but nevertheless it was one. Although that had already caught him off-guard, the next thing she said made his eyes widen a bit.
"I'm glad…" Sakuras voice quivered, "I'm glad that you… that you have her to comfort you, Sasuke-kun."
Long pink hair danced along the wind as she stood up from her sitting position and she looked up at the stars. Her eyes focused on the glow of the moon.
Sasuke only looked at her oddly, but his frown never left his face once. With the glow of the moon and the little light of the stars, he could see that she was crying… again.
"Sasuke-kun… if I may ask you…" she paused as she listened for any sign to continue.
A light grunt from him was heard and Sakura continued on, "Do you really like girls with long hair?"
The youngest Uchiha was quite baffled with her question at first but nevertheless replied a 'hn'
Sakuras eyes opened slightly and her lips formed a grim line but soon changed it with another forced cheerful-demeanor. "I see… well… I have to go to my house to change now. Our team's gonna have a meeting. Are you gonna come along as well?" she asked as she turned her back at him ready to walk off, tears still running down her cheeks.
"Kakashi told me to come." Sasuke replied as he stood up, dusting off dirt from his clothes. Sakura merely gave no response other than a nod as she started to walk off.
The last thing Sasuke heard from her was every bit suspicious and he did think something else when he heard her say that to him. It kind of held another meaning, when Sakura just walked off and merely muttered a "Goodbye, Sasuke-kun."
As soon as she was out of sight of the Uchiha, Sakura ran off towards her house as she burst through the door and ran to her bedroom after locking it. She threw herself on her bed as she let her tears fall. Letting howls of agony and throaty chokes of pain and sadness, her right hand still clutching the aching part of her chest where her heart is located.
'I need you so much now, mom.' She thought sadly, tears overflowing her eyes and running down her cheeks and unto the pillow
She propped herself up from the bed with her elbows and stared at her dresser, the mirror showing her broken reflection. A glint of metal caught Sakuras attention as she walked over to her dresser to find a kunai lay there along with books and papers neatly organized on the side.
Long delicate fingers then took hold of the sharp kunai and she stared at her reflection, all dirty and eyes spilling tears. She unclenched her left hand as she stared at her wrist. Leveling the clutched kunai to her head, a thought came to her.
The kunai, still raised eye-level, as she held it with her right hand soon made it way down…
The pain of her heart never leaving her behind…
Miakoda13: Seriously guys, I was so shocked at all the review responses I got! Oh and good news as well! I've finally managed to create a SasuSaku fanart sorta like a cover for HeartAche. XDDDDDD I was just so thrilled with the story I was like, oh gosh… the angst! The angst! I must draw! If you want to look at it, take a peek at my profile page and you'll see it there! And if you have a DA account (deviantart) do try to leave a comment and tell me how it is.
I'll reply to the reviewers at the end of the story. Thanks again and hope you like the second chapter. I have no beta, so you may find mistakes there, but everybody makes it right? Anyways, that's all I have to say! Oh… not everything anyways… if you do like to read ItaSaku… I have a fanfic, called Gaze Upon the Killing Time. Try to read it if you like. And if you just want to search for ItaSaku fanarts, I made some inspired by the big ItaSaku stories I have ever read! XDDDDDDD
Review Replies:
anony--thanks for the review and the tip!
keiana--I feel sorry for her too, but that's the way the fic is ging. XD
sliver spirit--I won't give up on this story ever! ;)
loony-moony--I will continue it so now worries!
heartangel--what episode? Huh? You mean the apple thing where Sakura was slicing it? Yeah, I did get that. But thanks for the review! Sasuke will burn, but not enough for him to die D:
artemis07--Oh my! A fellow ItaSaku writer! Hello! I've read it and it is somehow similar... XD But i assure you that you'll get excited in this fic as well. ;P
nickygirl--it's kinda weird to see Sasuke with another girl though. I'm really into the SasuSaku and I think Sakura's the only girl (canon-wise) for Sasuke. XD Thanks for the review!
blue'sclues--your pen name made me remeber the time where I always get to watch that adorable dog Blue and Magenta! T.T
sasuke8097--Sasuke seems to always does hurt Sakura? Yes, I agree to that unfortunately, but that just gives the fanatics more drama to watch over. And I like angst, but I always want the charcetrs to be together in the end, although for some, I can consider an ending which isn't like that. But anyways, that just happens once in a while.
sodeno shiroyuki--I'm missing you so muchies! hugs you Thanks and yeah, I shall try to minimize the grammar and spelling mistakes!
thisismylifetolive--it's so true! At first i just try to always find fics that are angsty and dramatic but I can't find that many so I said to myself, why don't I just write one? Maybe I can inspire some others to write and I can read them! XD
jennjnr--I like the meanings of the title as well. That's why I chose it. And to be honest, when i thought of the title, all the ideas just kept flowing inside my head. XD
airaeve--who says it ain't as good as mine? Yours is greater! I'm just fresh with the whole writing for SasuSaku, so yeah... XD Thank you and you are too!
xxseriouslyjadedxx--hahahahahaha! I too can't get enough of SasuSaku stories like those! i just love the whole drama and angst if it's written properly! Thanks for reading and I see you've already turned into the anti-Midori here. giggles
faitagirl--nyahahahahahahaha, thanks you!
rebel-girl--your name really does speak out with the review you gave me doesn't it? XD but anyways, thanks for reviewing and I ope you continue to read it as well.
lil devil 66--reviews always encourage me to write more so yeah, you are encouraging me:)
kaibasgirlx--thanks and yeah, I muct do something about the spelling and grammar mistakes! T.T I'll try to minimize it as far as I could. ;) Thanks for reviewing and thanks for the wonderful compliment about the not so OOC-ness.