Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Candle in the Wind ❯ The One Left Behind ( Chapter 5 )

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I'm not cool enough to own Naruto. Anyways, I need to clarify the timeline just so everyone knows what's going on. The 1st chapter of this story starts with Sakura in Otogakure. The subsequent chapters are meant to fill the readers in on the 6 years leading up to Sakura's travels to Oto. I will eventually get back to the place in the story where I began. I'm not sure if it's necessary to do an update year by year. I haven't decided how many chapters the 6 year span will encompass either. Oh well. I will just go with the flow.

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Fifteen minutes later, a less than calm Sakura arrived at the Hokage Tower. Her companions eyed her warily as the kunoichi grumbled several foul words. Hinata walked beside her the medic ninja but dared not speak. Masao and Eiji trailed behind her a bit so that they would not become victims of her foul temper again. The Sand Jounin unfortunately received a few of her chakra laden blows in the fray that exploded at Konoha's Gate.

“So much for being inconspicuous...” Eiji muttered under his breath to Masao.

His partner rubbed his sore ribs and nodded in agreement. The moment he opened his mouth to reply, Sakura turned on the two Nin with a deadly glare.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, her tone dangerously calm.

“Ahh... haha. Eiji said he is ticklish. Right Eiji?!” Masao lied unconvincingly with a forced laugh.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. Hahaha.” Eiji piped in, before cowering when he noticed Sakura didn't seem convinced. “Please don't kill us...”

The irate kunoichi paused mid-tirade as she realized that her aggression was frightening her teammates. Taking a deep breath to control her irritation, Sakura shook her head before rubbing her temples. “Sorry about that back there. I should have ignored the idiot. He seems to rub me the wrong way sometimes. I also apologize for busting our cover. It's obvious by now that if something fishy was going on in Konoha, Danzou would have made his move already. Anyways, let's go see Tsunade-sama and get to the bottom of this.”

When the haggard group reached the double doors of the Hokage's office, Sakura was almost too scared to knock. Raising her fist to rap lightly on the mahogany doors, she hesitated as her thoughts too a turn for the worse. In the space of a second, she considered that this may be all a hoax.

What if Danzou is waiting for me behind that door? What if...”

“Sakura... are you okay.” Hinata inquired, speaking for the first time since the pink haired kunoichi decided that Kotetsu needed his face “creatively rearranged” at the front gate.

The medic ninja looked over at the Hyuuga girl with a strained expression on her face that belied her answer, “I'm great. No, I am more than great.” Steeling herself against whatever repercussions may come upon entering the office, she knocked twice on the heavy door before her.

“Enter,” a sharp but undeniably feminine voice commanded from inside.

Sakura's heart leapt in her chest as she recognized her shisou's voice. Yet, she was still cautious as she twisted the handle and stepped into the airy expanse of the Hokage's office. Behind a large desk overflowing with stacks of paperwork, Tsunade sat puzzling over a large scroll. Tonton, the blond woman's pet pig, squealed amiably at Sakura and trotted over to nudge her leg. After staring at her paperwork without acknowledging the newcomers, the Hokage mumbled something incoherent before fixing her sharp, amber-eyed stare on her apprentice.

“You're late.” She snapped.

“I'm what?!” Sakura exploded, having reached her limit. Her temper overrode her relief at confirming that her mentor was alive and well. Well accustomed to both women's fits of temper, Tonton trotted to a corner that was a safe distance away from the combatants.

Having decided to remain as far away as possible from their team leader, Masao and Eiji took a tentative step backwards. The chakra emanating from the women seated behind the desk was immense, not to mention, Sakura was as volatile as stick of dynamite.

“I'm late! I'm late?! I spent the better part of 3 whole days running at breakneck speed to what could only be a sure death or permanent imprisonment and all you have to say is “You're late...”?!” the younger woman rasped as the gravity of the situation came crashing down upon her.

At that point Hinata thought it prudent to step in to ease the situation. Wringing her hands nervously, she whispered a fervent warning, “Now Sakura, you have to calm down.”

Tsunade's eyes snapped to the Hyuuga heiress as she spoke, “She most certainly should. Hinata, escort our guests from Suna to dinner on me. Accommodations have already been prepared from them.”

The black haired woman hesitated, casting a nervous glance at her temporary teammate before the Hokage's terse voice spurred her to action, “Now, Hyuuga!”

Hinata nodded quickly before herding the two Suna Jounin out of the room in a hurry. A charged silence crowded the room as the pink haired kunoichi stood rigidly before her superior. Sakura felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to maintain her silence. She wouldn't dare admit to the woman before her that she had been frantic with worry ever since she left Konoha weeks ago. She considered her stern mentor to be her only remaining family in the village besides Naruto. Before she became a genin, her father, a civilian merchant, died after a group of low grade missing-nin raided his caravan as they traveled from the Land of the Swamps back to Konohagakure. Tetsuo Haruno's remains were barely identifiable after the rogues finished with him. His death made Sakura determined to become a ninja so that she could protect those she cared for.

Because of their ill fortune at the hands of ninjas, Sakura's mother held a deep mistrust of shinobi. Hotaru Haruno tried in vain to convince her young daughter to give up her dreams of becoming a kunoichi, get married and lead a normal life. Arguments over her daughter's life choices occurred almost daily. The distance between mother and daughter widened considerably when Tsunade took on Sakura as an apprentice. Never having truly recovered from her husband's death, Hotaru's spirit completely cracked when Akatsuki's invasion ended in the destruction of their home and the remaining memories of her long-dead spouse. Hotaru's inconsolability and Sakura's responsibilities to Konoha as a kunoichi rendered her incapable of comforting her mother. In the end, her mother found solace with a distant aunt living on the border of the Tea Country rather than relocating to Sunagakure. Even though they were not particularly close at the time, the young kunoichi took her mother's departure hard.

“In the end, am I always destined to watch everyone's backs? Will I ever be able to do something to help those I care about?” Sakura thought to herself as she averted her gaze from her master, clenching her fists in frustration.

Tsunade watched her apprentice war with her own tumultuous emotions with in silence. Had she been a better woman, perhaps she would have offered a kind word to ease her student's sorrows. The life of a ninja was a hard one and no one knew that better than the Hokage herself. Being surrounded by loss and death left her callous and weary. She was never one to coddle her apprentice. Despite her outward insensitivity, she held a soft spot for the child because Sakura reminded her of her youth when she had a heart filled with hope and unscarred by reality.

“Are you going to stand there and sulk all day like a child? I have better things to do, you know...” Tsunade sighed.

“I am not sulking...” the kunoichi snapped mulishly.

In rejoinder, her master arched a golden blond brow.

“Okay fine... I'm sulking a little.” Sakura conceded. “Tell me what happened here. I only left for a moment and everything goes haywire while I'm gone.”

Heaving another sigh, the elder woman beckoned her apprentice to sit, “This is going to be a long story and I think you need to sit down...”

The medic ninja listened attentively as her mentor recounted the events that lead up to her capture. Sakura's face twisted in disgust as Tsunade described Danzou and the Council's betrayal. A smile graced her face as she discovered how Sai defied his master to bring bits of information to the deposed Hokage and protect her from harm. However, the smile fell as Tsunade nearly brought the report to an end. The rose haired girl felt the floor drop out from beneath her as the Sannin retold the final night of her imprisonment.

“Sasuke... Sasuke returned to Konoha?” she whispered in shock.

“Yes, but not for the reasons you think. That boy came back to exact revenge on this village.” Tsunade responded gravely.

“Revenge on Konoha? Why would he... Konoha is his home. Why would he want revenge? What about Itachi?”

“It would seem Itachi was only following the orders sent down from Konoha's council. Apparently, rebellion was stirring amongst the Uchiha clan. Once negotiations went sour between the Uchihas and the council, the order to exterminate the clan was passed on to Konoha's sympathizer and double agent, Itachi Uchiha.”

Sakura's voice stuck in her throat as she tried to take in her shisou's words. She shook her head in disbelief at the cruelty of the council's judgment.

“I have never agreed with Danzou's warmongering style of governance. He and the Council preferred to exterminate the Uchihas rather than engage in what promised to be a messy and violent upheaval. There could have been some other way but... Death and war are the way of ninjas. We deal with destruction on a daily basis. In the eyes of Konoha's council their decision was for the greater good of our village. I cannot say how I would have handled this situation...”

“Sasuke was never meant to survive, was he?” Sakura asked sadly.

Tsunade nodded slowly, “If it had not been for Itachi's threat to reveal the truth about the Uchiha massacre, another shinobi would have finished the job eventually. Ironically, Sasuke nearly helped in meeting his own demise, running off and becoming a missing-nin.”

“I can't believe... I mean... All the years, he suffered.” Sakura whispered brokenly.

The Hokage advised sternly, “Do not waste your pity on a man who does not want it, Sakura. It will do neither you nor him any good. Sasuke Uchiha made his choice long before he stepped foot outside of Konoha. He only returned to complete the circle of hatred and death Danzou and the council began.”

The words sunk into young woman's head slowly as she came to a painful revelation, “Danzou and the council are dead, aren't they?”

“Yes.”

“What will happen to him now, shisou?”

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, before raising her hands to massage her aching temples, “Right now he is in custody of ANBU. An offense such as his would warrant execution...”

Sakura felt her heart stop beating in her chest at the mention of execution. In her mind she knew that it was possible, but she could not fathom that Sasuke would die so soon after returning home.

The older woman saw her apprentice grow deathly pale as she continued, “Before you go getting yourself all worked up, I said “would warrant execution”. There are quite a few loopholes to work with. Given that the council betrayed me and deceived the remaining population of Konoha, they made themselves enemies of this village. Besides that, the Uchiha boy took down several S-class ninja including Deidara and Orochimaru. Not to mention, saving me. He even agreed to cooperate fully with the Interrogation Unit and ANBU. My newly appointed council is aware of these facts. However, that doesn't mean Sasuke will be released without punishment, Sakura. Don't go getting your hopes up especially where this boy is concerned.”

“Yes, shisou...”Sakura replied. Tsunade's reassurances lifted some of the weight that settled on her troubled heart.

“Sakura...” Tsunade began gravely, pinning her student with her amber gaze, “I have but one request. Trust me on whatever sentence we decide. We have to do what is best for our village.”

Sakura nodded even as a ball of anxiety formed in the pit of her stomach, “I understand, Tsunade-sama... When is the sentencing?”

“Two days from now. I have a million things to do before then. Apparently, disbanding and reorganizing a secret assassination squad results in a lot of paperwork. We all know how much I love that...” Tsunade grumbled before going back to reviewing a scroll on her desk. After a moment, she looked up to find Sakura still sitting before her. “Why are you still here? Get out of my sight unless you want some forms to fill out... I expect a full report of Suna's progress tomorrow morning. In the meanwhile, get some rest. By the way, if you want to see the Uchiha boy, he should be in one of ANBU's holding cells. I've already authorized Team 7's visitation rights... Naruto is probably there now...”

Sakura sprang to her feet quickly, heading for the door before the Hokage could foist a pile of paperwork on her. Just as her hand touched the door, Tsunade left her with one last bit of advice.

“Before you get caught up rejoicing Sasuke's return, remember he is not the boy you remember from your genin days and you most certainly aren't the girl you once were years ago. Don't let your memories fool you into seeing something that isn't there.”

Her master's advice whirled in her head as she walked out of the Hokage tower and into the dark streets of Konoha. A fraction of her just wanted to run to Sasuke's cell and just soak in his presence. Another part of her wanted to simply go to her makeshift apartment and curl up in the darkness. It was all too much to take in. All these years, she and Naruto fought tooth and nail to bring Sasuke home. Now he was back of his own accord and she felt so off balance about it. She wandered aimlessly through the streets staring at the skeletons of buildings in the process of being reconstructed.

“Sasuke only has two days before his sentencing. I don't think Tsunade will execute him but who knows what will happen... I should go but... What's wrong with me? Why am I so hesitant to see him?” Sakura thought. “Tsunade is right. Sasuke has changed. I saw it with my own eyes when we found him at Orochimaru's base. He was so cold, so inhuman. As much I love Sasuke, I knew nothing about the man I met that day. It was almost like he saw straight through me. It didn't seem to matter whether or not I was there. He didn't seem to care. I don't know if I can face him like this. I'm afraid... ”

Despite her fear of facing Sasuke, she inadvertently ended up in front of the Hokage Tower once again. She knew that ANBU's headquarters and holding cells were accessible by underground tunnels running beneath the tower. Few were privy to such information but being the Hokage's loyal apprentice certainly did come with its perks.

“Stop being a coward and go face that man, Sakura...” she muttered to herself after another moment of hesitation. “Let's just get this over with...”

After navigating through eerily quiet underground tunnels with flickering overhead lights, Sakura found herself standing before an individual wearing a porcelain hawk mask and a dark robe. He appeared to be standing guard before a black metal door.

Putting on her best authoritative expression, Sakura spoke with confidence, “The Hokage granted me visitation rights to Sasuke Uchiha.”

“Is that so?” the masked agent inquired, his voice rough and gravelly.

“Yes... May I please be directed to his cell?” she replied, refusing to be cowed by the intimidating figure.

“I suppose I could do that...” the ANBU agent shrugged and turned to press a concealed button causing the metal door to slide open. “Daito, we have a visitor. Take her to cellblock 228.”

“She wants to see the last Uchiha, eh? I didn't know they let fan girls into ANBU headquarters...?” Daito jeered from a shadowy corner.

Sakura bristled at his tone. ANBU or not, she was willing to take a swing if continued to test her patience.

“Just do it, man. This one is the Hokage's apprentice. I highly doubt you want to get on this one's bad side.”

A tall ANBU agent wearing a cat mask appeared in front Sakura in a puff of smoke, “Fine. I'll take her.” Daito sighed. “You get an hour kid. There is already some loud blond kid there making a ruckus.”

“Do you ever look at your files man? That's Naruto Uzumaki...” the other agent retorted.

“Yeah, I do. He's still a blond obnoxious kid...”

“If we could get this moving along now... I don't really have a lifetime to waste here.” Sakura snapped impatiently. I didn't work up the nerve to come here so I could listen to the idle banter of these two.

“Hold your horses, firecracker.” Daito laughed, “This one is going to be a handful I see, Sora. Come on pinky. Your missing nin prince waits...”

Sakura heard the man named Sora chuckle as she followed Daito up a long corridor lined with think metal doors. The ANBU ninja had to feel her glare burning into his shoulder blades. If he did, he gaze no sign, resolutely whistling as he led through a series of twist and turns. He paused as he came to a hallway lined with cells.

“Ahh, here we are girly. The kid is still here so you won't be lonely. That Uchiha kid makes poor company. No conversation skills whatsoever. If you need me, I will be around this corner. If not, you got an hour to chat him up or stare at him. Whichever, whatever...” Daito disappeared with a one shouldered shrug.

“What an obnoxious man...” Sakura muttered to herself as she rounded the corner to find Naruto sitting before Sasuke's cell. She caught snatches of his words as she approached.

“After all this fucking time, you finally made your way back to Konoha you bastard. Sakura made me promise to drag your sorry ass back and you made break another promise. What a pain... What was that Bastard?! If you weren't in that cell I would...”

The pink haired kunoichi could feel her heart accelerate as she drew close. Naruto turned to her when she was a couple feet away. “Sakura-chan!!! Look what Akamaru drug in. It's Sasuke. The Bastard is back.”

“Naruto was just as hyper as ever...” Sakura laughed inwardly at that thought, “I know, Naruto.” Sakura approached Naruto first, giving a quick once over to make sure all was well with him and then ruffled his fair hair playfully. “You have a knack for stating the obvious, Naruto-kun.”

“Aww, come on don't go bursting my bubble.” Naruto whined before pointing at the young man sitting against the far wall of his cell, “Rip him a new one, Sakura.”

It took every ounce of her self-discipline to keep her outwardly calm façade as she glanced at Sasuke Uchiha. He appeared irreverent and unfazed by the high powered chakra draining manacles circling his wrists and ankles. He slouched with feline grace against the back wall of his prison cell with one leg bent, an elbow leaning on his knee, hand propping up his head. He was not even looking in their direction, opting to pointedly ignore his guests.

“Hello Sasuke,” Sakura chimed in, “Welcome back...”

The young merely grunted in response, not even glancing in her direction.

“Wow, I totally forgot how very social he was...” Sakura muttered.

Naruto laughed in response, “Team 7 is reunited finally. I can't wait to until we get back to doing missions...”

Sakura turned to Naruto, frowning slightly, “Naruto, I don't know if we should get ahead of ourselves.”

“What do you mean? You think Granny is going to throw the book at him? He saved her life, you know. There is no way...”

“Sakura's right, idiot. Don't get ahead of yourself. You don't know what they are going to do with me.” Sasuke bit out coldly, finally directing his dark gaze to the two individuals sitting before him. “I didn't `save Tsunade' as you put it. She just wasn't my prime target. I didn't come to play hero.”

A moment of heavy silence descended on them and tension crackled in the air. Suddenly the prisoner locked gazes with the kunoichi, sending a jolt through her system. Sasuke tilted his head slightly as his almond-shaped jet black eyes bore into Sakura's glistening green ones. She remembered how painfully beautiful he was in that moment. His features were aristocratic and well defined. His face was beginning to lose to softness of adolescence revealing high cheek bones and a strong chin. Although he was frowning, his mouth was well formed and sinful. His blue black hair framed his face haphazardly. His hair was a bit longer but his trademark spiky locks were still intact. He was such a tragic, splendid creature, born to avenge and suffer for crimes that were not his own. Sakura felt a deep sadness for him that she knew the Uchiha would never allow himself to feel well up deep inside her.

His mocking voice ripped through the quiet, “Is that pity I see, Sakura?”

She looked away quickly, clenching her jaw in an effort not to cry. Tsunade's advice roared in her head. “I don't pity you...”

The imprisoned young man shrugged, “Not a good liar either... You never change do you?”

Sakura stiffened at his barbed statement. She knew the implications of his simple questions and they cut her to the quick. Sasuke probably didn't know or care that he was the reason she was so insecure and broken after he left. Neither he nor her former sensei Kakashi saw her potential as a kunoichi. In the end both abandoned her, even though the latter had good intentions. His benign neglect only reinforced her lack of self-confidence.

“Of course she has,” Naruto quickly hopped to his best friend's defense. “She's one of the best damn medic nin and kunoichi in Konoha. She's almost better than Tsunade.”

Sasuke shrugged again, “Right.”

“Geez, Bastard. You really are a ray of sunshine. I swear you can suck the fun out of damn near everything.” Naruto sighed, running his fingers through his mussed hair.

Daito reappeared at the moment, “Hey loudmouth, your time is up. Pinky gets to stay.”

Naruto hesitated when he glanced at Sakura's strained features.

“Don't worry Naruto. I will be right behind you in a second. We can go to Ichiraiku's and catch up on things.” Sakura forced enthusiasm into her tone.

“You hear that Bastard. Sakura and I are going out on a date. Aren't you jealous?” Naruto jeered.

Sasuke kept silent while drawing his knees up to his chest and resting both of his arms on them. His handsome face remained impassive.

Naruto replied, even though his blue eyes were tinged with worry, “Alright then... I will be waiting for outside.”

Sakura merely nodded. The duo soon disappeared leaving Sakura and Sasuke to sit in cold silence. After a few minutes of debating, the kunoichi crouched before his cell taking hold of the prison bars. “Sasuke, why are you here?”

At first it seemed as if he intended to ignore her. During the course of the lengthening silence, Sakura began cursing herself for even asking.

“You know why...” Sasuke finally replied.

“I know somewhat. Tsunade told me what happened to you... to the Uchihas... but... Why get caught? Why let it come to this?”

The young man finally let a smirk grace his face, “For a girl who said she loved me once, you don't seem all that happy to see me...”

Sakura froze for a minute, shocked that he even remembered her words on that fateful night. She knew that he was mocking her for her childish declaration of love. “Ugh. Must you make this difficult?” She groaned in frustration. “Wait. You're the epitome of difficult. How could I be so foolish to forget that fact...?”

“Hn...”

Sakura deflated before flinging her hands up in frustration. “I give up. This is not how I wanted our first conversation in nearly four years to go. For once, Naruto is right. There really is no point in talking to you.”

Before she could stand a large hand encased her wrist, pulling her forward. Sasuke managed to move so quickly that she barely saw his movements. Now they were more or less face to face despite the bars keeping them apart.

“Did you mean it?” Sasuke asked. His tone was intense and gaze smoldered as he stared into her eyes.

“Did I mean what?” Sakura gasped, distracted at the feel of his warm calloused hand on her skin. Sasuke never initiated contact with her before and now she could feel small shocks of sensation shooting through her body and pooling in her stomach.

“What you said before I left the village that night. Did you mean it?” He reiterated. The intensity of his gaze increased.

She could almost feel herself getting lost in him, “Yes. I meant every word. I... I... wanted to be by your side and I promise to do whatever I can to help you when you get out of here.”

A smirk that almost looked like a smile graced his features as he released her from his hold. His tone was filled with smug satisfaction as if he had already known the answer, “Good.”

Sakura frowned and rubbed her wrist. She felt a bit off-kilter at his cryptic reply. Standing up abruptly, she stepped back from his cell. Her former teammate mimicked her actions. He was almost a full head taller than she was.

“You never answered my question, Sasuke.” She whispered, not meeting his piercing stare.

“You'll know soon enough.” He replied.

Realizing that she wouldn't get any more out of him, the kunoichi decided to make her exit. “I think it's time I caught up with Naruto.” She felt inexplicably awkward and could not shake the feeling that their conversation had gone totally wrong somehow.

“Aa...”

“Okay well... I'll be going then.” After once last glance, Sakura turned and beat a hasty retreat.

“See you later, Sakura...” Sasuke smirked as he watched her walk away.

***

Another chapter is done!!!! This chapter was a bit tricky. Sakura seems to be a kaleidoscope of emotions but what can you expect? She came home thinking she would have to fight for her life only to find herself face to face with the man who broke her heart. I hope the scene between Sakura and Sasuke came off as painfully awkward as I thought it was. I hardly think a confrontation between the two would be the sickeningly sweet affair we all hope for. She's still young at this point in the story (16 yrs old if you are following my crazy timeline) but she has matured a great deal since her ill fated love confession as a genin.