Burnt Toast

By: Xmarksthespot

Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N: This is a SakuSasu fic, not Sasori...I may've clicked the wrong button when I started this..so yeah.. :)

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Chapter 1. Five Days

Without toast, peanut butter and jelly just isn't the same.

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Sakura had passed the same tower at least three times that hour, but couldn't bring herself to enter it. She knew that place was dark and cold, filled with the most vile creatures who ever walked on soil. Nevertheless, she was drawn to it and she knew why.

At the tender age of twenty two, Sakura Haruno had already received the honour of being the Leaf Village's finest medic. She had worked along side former Godaime, Tsunade, for several years and proved herself to be a worthy ANBU through many risky missions.

She was also the best friend of Rokudaime, Naruto Uzumaki. The two, despite their busy schedules, had remained close like peanut butter was to jelly (with the exception of the Hokage's girlfriend).

There were times when Sakura was asked to do all sorts of jobs other than her usual hospital shifts or random missions; sometimes she substituted for Iruka at the academy or was asked to walk a few of Kiba's family's dogs, but they were all enjoying.

Sakura had everything she could possibly want – love, friends, family, a good job, a good life. However, there was something missing. But then again, there always is.

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Traitor and murderer, Sasuke Uchiha has been

sentenced to death on February 16th of this year.

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Sakura forced her lips to curve upwards when she finally got her tired legs to take a step inside. She held onto a basket and her knuckles were clearly white from the tight grasp she had on it. Instead of properly greeting the guards by voice, the kunoichi merely nodded and remained silent.

Their faces were neutral, but she could easily read them; the guards knew why she was there. They studied her as if they had been expecting her company for a while. Among them was Shikamaru and he said 'hello' in response to her small movements. Getting up, he kept his lips tightly closed, suppressing a yawn.

His bored eyes didn't blink and were staring straight across to meet the intense greens. Suddenly, Shikamaru's hands reached towards the strap beside his pants pocket. He grabbed onto the large hoop of dangling keys, pulled it out from the strap, and started flipping through.

Realizing Shikamaru was already second guessing her moves, Sakura opened her mouth to speak. She located her voice after the first several stutters. She politely said, "I-I'm just here. Here, in this building, but not in the rooms. I'm not visiting." Her eyelids didn't flutter and she wanted Shikamaru to know she was serious.

Her grip on the basket tightened when she notice him glancing at it. Slipping a sigh between her lips, Sakura made sure she smiled. "This is actually for you," she said, handing the basket to the man across from her. "I know you guys work really hard, so I decided to prepare some lunch."

The Nara hesitantly took the basket, opening it to see multiple bentos. He confirmed that she had made the food for them and not whom he thought. With a curt nod, he replied, "Thank you. I'm sure the others will be happy to hear they won't have to eat rice balls today."

Sakura had begun to turn around and leave when Shikamaru pointed something out.

"You don't have to go in. There's a small window on the door."

Sakura turned back, studying Shikamaru's face and somewhat hoping he was lying. Whether he was telling a fib or not, she knew the man was smart and there was probably some meaning behind his words – she didn't have the time to figure them out.

She wasn't sure what to do exactly. Her jade eyes wandered the room, hoping to find an answer on one of the dull coloured bricks. Her bright bangs darkened her face, especially when she lowered her head and agreed, turning towards the long and narrow staircase.

Although, it was one of the earlier rooms, so there was no need for the staircase. He led her just a few doors down, not too far from the main lobby. The man pointed to a steel door and quickly made his way back to where he came from, leaving the woman standing there mutely.

Her head never stayed quiet. There were too many thoughts and some of them were wrong. Sakura had wondered about the consequences of breaking the door open and freeing him, but she knew it was against her morals.

Instead, she leaned towards the door. She was careful and made sure there was enough space between her and the door as if the door itself could sense her breathing. Tippy toeing, Sakura looked into the small room, seeing the same smokey bricks covered in cobwebs.

Silently sighing, Sakura's toes went back down. She had given up, telling herself that it would be improper if she were to see him – the memories, the heartbreak, everything would come rushing back. Her body had begun to pivot back towards the main doors, when she heard a noise coming from inside. She immediately leaned into the door again, this time not dwelling on the closeness or the heaviness of her breathing.

Sakura heard the sounds again and was sure they were the sounds of shackles. It was difficult to comprehend her feelings at the time considering her view; she couldn't see anybody. Sakura tilted her head to the side, wondering if she could spot him from a different angle.

She found him and lost the rhythmic beating of her heart.

She noticed he wore ragged clothes – a dark shirt, which contrasted his pale skin even more. Sakura was sure that if he went outside in the bright snow, his face could've easily blended in (excluding his shaggy hair). His eyes, despite what Sakura thought they'd be, weren't red. The rims of his eyes, though, were a little pink though as if he had very little sleep. His lips were parted and Sakura was unsure if he was breathing through his nose or mouth, especially because he remained still.

For the next several minutes, the kunoichi noticed his body didn't move. Even most experienced ninjas couldn't stay frozen like a statue. But he did; he never blinked or showed signs of life.

It wasn't until Sakura noticed her feet were aching that she repositioned herself to peak through the glass window. When she adjusted herself, she heard a loud squeaking noise coming from the other side. Sakura turned her head, watching the man enter the building and stare straight back at her with his chocolate brown eyes.

Her breathing quickened as he took a few steps inside, still staring back at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

Sakura didn't reply. She watched him approach her and Shikamaru getting up from his seat to stop him. The breeze coming into the building blew the cobwebs in the corners and...there was movement inside the cell; she wasn't sure if the man in the prison saw her or not.

The young adult was stuck between two different worlds. Usually, in situations like this, everything would move slowly, as if time stood still for her to think it through. Unfortunately, time remained the same, there was one man on her left and another on her right.

And no matter how much she wanted things to be perfect, Sakura couldn't pick between the two worlds, for on one side, there was Sasuke Uchiha and on the other side, there was her fiancé.

Date: February 11

Days until the execution of Sasuke Uchiha: 5

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TBC

Yeah, I should really stop posting new stories..but I've had this written sometime last year, so technically, its not really new.

But please review :)