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sasusaku-

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Thank you all guests and those who follow and favorited!

Sorry, it's a bit shorter than usual and I haven't updated in a while! Hopefully longer chapters and quicker updates in the future! Hugs and kisses!

::Lonely Existence::

Chapter Sixteen: A Death in the Family

The storm raged on loudly through the early morning hours, thunder echoing hollowly from the dark heavens above. But they were safe for now, sheltered in each other's arms.

They were alive.

She never knew that it could be this way. That the touch of another could heal, that it could ward away demons and darkness, that one could give more than they could take away… that there could be such innocence in the shadow of the night.

With a shaky breath, she moved her fingers to the clasp of his travel cloak, pushing the thick fabric from his shoulders, relieving him of its damp weight. He moved with nervous energy, kicking off his nin sandals and climbing more fully on the bed, closing any remaining space between them. His lips traveled senselessly against her brow, down along her nose, her jawline, until he found her lips once more.

With unsteady fingers he moved to unbind the sash of her shift, trembling at the feel of her skin, while she, in turn, pushed his white tunic from his shoulders, acknowledging his warm and weary muscles beneath her palms.

For a blessed moment the war, Itachi, the Senju, and the Uchiha were worlds away and it was only the two of them, two lonely souls in the darkness.

They parted as she rose, breathing deeply under his gaze as she slowly moved to untie his arm-guards with the same care and focus that she had used to bind them before he had left her so many nights prior. She felt herself falter under his gaze as his free hand came to comb through the loose tresses of her pale hair, tucking a strand carefully behind her ear, distracting her from her work.

It seemed some things hadn't changed at all since their first meeting.

Her eyes met his once she was finished, quite humbled by the intensity she found staring back at her in the faint, flickering light. Such dark and endless depth.

Swallowing, his hand slid from her ear to caress her face, thumb brushing against her bottom lip. She leaned into him, resting her hands against his chest, her forehead pressing against his once more as she closed her eyes, lingering for a moment in his presence… feeling the beat in his heart, breathing him in through his parted lips.

He murmured her name softly, a quiet beckoning, and what was left of her senses abandoned her as her lips brushed over his, before taking them completely, as they fell back down against the soft cushions.

With slight hesitation, his hands fell, slipping her shift from her shoulders slowly, leaving her delicate body exposed and trembling against the cold. He pulled away, just enough to see, his dark eyes softening as he took in what he had only caught glimpses of before. Her beauty was agonizing, perfect, her skin luminescent in the near darkness.

She reached for him a moment later, pulling him close, either to ward off the cold or his gaze. He met her halfway, kissing her along her slender neck, returning warmth to her body, offering her shelter and protection from her fears and her pain… and something more… something irrevocable.

"You're here." he heard her breathe, her bandaged hands holding on to him as if to keep her steady, to keep him from fading away again.

"I'm here," he whispered like a vow. "I'm right here."

:::

Itachi stopped and glanced over his shoulder toward the east, toward his homeland. A shadow came upon him then, engulfing him, whispering in his ear, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He stared long into the horizon, his heart feeling suddenly heavy with a frightening weight.

Something had happened… something terrible.

His jaw set and his shoulders squared themselves at a new sensation altogether, waking him from his trance. She was a quiet thing, but not quiet enough.

"Hello, Rin," he spoke lowly. He'd been expecting her to get him alone since they first encountered each other. "It's been a long time."

"I thought you'd remember me," she whispered faintly.

"There isn't a member of my clan that doesn't remember you…" he scoffed, turning to face her. "Hard to forget the runaway bride."

He was met with silence for a long while as she undoubtedly weighed her options."...Will you say anything?"

"About what?" Itachi inquired with a careless shrug of his shoulders. "That you were once a loyal servant to my clan… or that you were promised to Uchiha Obito?"

The healer flinched at that name as if he had reached forward and struck her across the face, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to remain composed. "...That was a lifetime ago."

"I don't think your friends up in that mountain will take that into consideration when they realize you have been endangering their lives all this time," Itachi told her, though his tone was neutral. Who was he to cast judgment? "If Obito were to ever find out that you were alive and with the Senju of all places..."

Her gaze lifted back toward his. "I'm not so easily swayed as others, Itachi… You won't manipulate me."

"If you're so confident, then tell them," he replied. "Tell Kakashi… the two of you seem close… I'm sure he'd understand."

"We are close." Rin agreed, straightening her stance, her demeanor shifting into something else entirely. Something quite intriguing. "Close enough that if I told him to kill you…" she shrugged her shoulders in the same careless manner he had. "He would."

Itachi smiled. He'd always liked Rin.

"Do we have a better understand of each other now?" she asked, her tone so pleasant, yet her eyes unwavering.

"Yes, I think we do," he replied in amusement after a quiet evaluation… This was leverage that he couldn't afford to tug on. "...You seem to still have quite an effect on people."

:::

He woke to golden light, stained by the red glass, bleeding through the drapes. The rains had finally passed on after months of relentless persecution, emitting some light on a strange and beautiful dawn. Faintly he could hear birds flocking beyond the window, their broken and scattered songs a near-forgotten sound to the Uchiha village. Everything was warm and hazy as he stretched out, aching pleasantly as they never had before, his brows furrowing as he tried to navigate through the morning daze.

His arms felt empty with the loss of the sweet burden he had held close through the storm. He murmured her name, reaching out, wondering if she had abandoned him sometime during the night. But, she was there, across the mattress, sleeping serenely in the rose-colored light, her chakra signature unmistakable to him now.

He watched her as the world came into focus, his eyes softening as everything that had transpired in the darkness, every touch, every breath, washed over him in a wave of wonder and contentment…through uncertainty crept up his spine, through the webs of his mind like a graceful, venomous spider.

Had she truly wanted this? Wanted him?

Or had she acted on the whim of her emotions… on her fear of being sent away?

Would he see the same light shining in her eyes that he had seen before during the night...or would they be dull, burnt out with the realization of what had transpired between them.

As if reading his thoughts, sensing his fears, her eyelashes began to flutter as she slowly blinked into consciousness, eyes cloudy with sleep for only a moment before they began to clear and focus on him. He remained still, watching her just as intently as she watched him.

How long they stayed like that, he would never know. It felt like a small eternity.

All the while, his heart was constricting painfully behind his ribcage in apprehension as she remained unmoving. Wordlessly he pleaded for her to end his growing torment, his gaze flickering rapidly, searching. What was she thinking behind those otherworldly eyes?

When it became more than he could bear, he slowly lifted an arm toward her in silent beckoning, noticing sadly how she flinched ever so slightly at the motion. Seconds passed before she slowly moved, crossing the small distance between them, accepting his offer. He sighed in relief at the feel of her skin against his again, his arms closing around her securely, pressing him against her chest, as she breathed into him, tucking her face into the shelter under his chin.

They breathed in unison, their hearts gently synchronizing against one another as he pressed his lips to her hairline, thoughtlessly smoothing the tangles from her long tendrils. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, his voice hoarse and barely audible. She nodded slowly after a while, keeping herself well hidden in his embrace.

They lingered long into the morning, interwoven without another word, only soft breathing and faint caresses between them.

:::

Hours later, he forced himself to rise with much strain, watching the rise and fall of her chest while he dressed, eyes never leaving her. He hadn't had it in his heart to wake her while she slept so peacefully.

Sighing weakly, loathing to leave, he leaned down and moved the hair from her brow, kissing it faintly. A small smile ghosted over his lips as she stirred and resettled with a gentle hum.

"I'll be back." he murmured, rising and leaving his chambers, locking the door behind him on the outside so that she wouldn't be disturbed. With a deep breath, he made his way toward the east entrance, slipping his mission report into his sleeve. Hopefully, he'd make it there and back to the barracks without any delays. It had been far too late to report in upon his squad's return.

"Sasuke."

He paused at his father's sharp tone, flinching despite himself, before stepping back and peering into the open parlor. Fugaku stood beside the large front windows, the pale light accentuating every hollow line of his grim face. His father had always been a tired-looking man, but now he appeared pale, drained, a ghost of himself.

Sasuke's lower lip tugged downward on one side, the only expression of his that could be fully attributed to his father, everything else belonged to his mother… on the outside at least.

"Father," he greeted lowly, his tone guarded as always.

Fugaku studied him briefly over his shoulder slowly, thoughtfully. "I was unaware that you'd returned," he said finally, moving to pour the tea that awaited him by the fireplace, his movements lacking their usual grace.

Something's happened. Sasuke thought as he watched him, his brows furrowing. "I arrived long after midnight," he explained.

"Ah," Fugaku replied quietly, bringing the steaming beverage to his lips. "Well, I'm glad I caught you before…"

"Before what?" Sasuke asked, taking a careful step past the threshold, when the sudden cry of a woman broke the heavy silence, making him turn sharply.

"Sasuke!" his mother called, relief and anger in her voice as she rushed forward and clung to him. He stood rigid and stunned as his mother wept, abandoning any aspect of her regality and poise. Dread fogged over him as he recalled Sakura's similar reaction to his return the previous night. Feeling his head become dangerously light, he gripped his mother by the shoulders and pulled her away sharply. She looked awful as if she had been crying without an hour of sleep.

"Where have you been?" she asked angrily. "I've been sick with worry!"

"Calm down, Mikoto," Fugaku intervened. "He arrived last night. "

"Why didn't you announce yourself!?" she demanded, taking her son by the collar and giving it a firm shake.

"It was late, I wasn't going to disturb anyone." Sasuke managed to say, put off by her distress.

He had never seen his mother like this before. Looking between his parents, he took a deep breath. "What's happened?" he asked.

A hush fell over the room then and Mikoto retracted from him suddenly, backing away and shaking her head as more tears threatened to fall.

"...Itachi?" Sasuke couldn't help but fearfully conclude, looking to his father who was far more composed than his mother.

"No," Fugaku replied quietly, turning from him. "I've not heard anything from your brother."

"Then what?" he asked in bemusement.

Fugaku squared his shoulders slightly, sighing deeply. "I regret to tell you that your cousin Shisui…" he paused and his son waited. "He's dead."

Sasuke heard his mother continue to lament from behind him, but his wide eyes stayed fixated on his father before his brows furrowed in confusion and disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" he finally asked.

"He killed himself last night," Fugaku explained, his voice eerily calm, as if explaining something to a young child. "He is dead."

"I just…" Sasuke scoffed, this was absurd. "I just saw him not even nine hours ago… we returned together…"

"It appears that it took place shortly after his arrival… at the watch post." Fugaku explained, turning back to face him. "I am sorry."

Sasuke searched his father's eyes, unable to comprehend his words even still. But, there was nothing there in his gaze, no comfort, no reasoning, just dull callousness… emptiness.

Shisui...

He'd never remembered a time without Shusui. He was more than his captain, he was family. He was like another older brother to him, another son to his parents. In their youth, he'd always chased after he and Itachi who were more like twins than cousins. Sasuke tried to remember the last thing he had said to him, it was undoubtedly a flippant goodbye, expecting to see him for their next training session with the squad. And why shouldn't he have?

"I…"

"It's hard to understand, I know." his father placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're yet to know any real loss, Sasuke... but we must be strong for his parents and Itachi… imagine the pain he will go through when he learns."

When Itachi learns...

And that was when he knew.

His dark eyes snapped back to his father's sharply in realization, feeling the blood drain from his face. He didn't know how, but he did, he knew his father was somehow responsible for this, that Shusui was dead because of him… because of Itachi.

"You're in shock," Fugaku noted, giving him brief once over when he failed to reply. "You should return to your chambers and rest… I'll send something up to help." his tone was dismissive, there was no warmth in it. It was not a request, but a warning. "You and your mother both."

Sasuke could only continue to stare at him in disbelief.

His father… he was a murderer… a murderer of his own family, his blood…

Itachi had been right.

:::

She woke suddenly, inhaling deeply as if for the first time. For a long while, she lay unmoving, staring silently through the ceiling, into a vast nothing above.

When the minutes stretched on too long, she slowly rose, shielding herself with the thin sheet that had been wrapped with care around shoulders, her keen eyes searching tentatively around her.

She was alone.

A part of her was thankful for that, relieved. She was unsure how to face him, she had no words to share, nothing in her to offer… yet the other part wished he had not left her alone with only her tortuous mind for company after all that had transpired.

That was always a dangerous thing to do.

"Kami…"

The world was well awake, the sun already high in the sky… there was nowhere for her to hide from herself in the glow of the morning. No darkness to shield her, no arms to shelter her. She was just there, out in the open, raw and vulnerable. She felt the blood pumping in her ears, as she brought a hand to her forehead, overwhelmed beyond reproach.

Oh, what have you done now?

She closed her eyes tightly against her demons and drew a deep breath.

Stupid girl. You know where this leads, you know what happens next. You've wrecked everything!

She gritted her teeth.

Hope it was worth it.

With some ferocity, she pulled herself from the bed as if to banish the voice that she thought had grown dormant over the last few months. With unsteady hands, she wrapped herself in the discarded nightdress as she crossed the room and forced back the drapes to gaze out into the gardens.

It was well past the ninth hour and the sun shined gloriously without refrain, the storm clouds long gone with only clear droplets falling from the leaves and rafters as giving any indication of its havoc the night before. Drawing in another deep breath, she held tightly unto herself as her eyes traveled the landscape and beyond.

Where are you? She thought quietly. Why had he gone? It wasn't like him to… he wouldn't have left her after…

Concern and confusion crept along her neck, nestling back deep in the rich, dark soil of her mind.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Quickly she moved, turning from the window. She bathed and then dressed lightly in a simple day kimono that she wore for household duties, braiding back her hair. Unsure where or how far she was going, she concealed a kunai along her waist and left his chambers.

The house was eerily silent, not a soul in the halls. Strange for that hour. Even the usual guard was not on his post.

She glanced behind her, Kurenai would have been expecting her hours ago, but seeing as she had not come to collect and scold her at first light, she was undoubtedly preoccupied with other distractions.

Mind spinning, heart racing, she moved through the house and grounds.

It was then she recalled the evening prior before Sasuke returned and banished her fears... the dread that had loomed over the house was still heavy in the air, stagnant and suffocating. She was a little grateful when a guard crossed her path, there was some relief in seeing another living being.

"I'm looking for Sasuke-sama." She informed him with a small bow.

The guard looked her over, he had never seen the concubine dressed so plainly before, it took him a moment to recognize her.

"I'm afraid he's taken off early this morning, no one has seen him or know where he's gone." she moved past him without another word.

Pausing in a corridor, she forced herself to slow down, to think.

She knew where he was, she was almost certain of it.

Don't be stupid.

Well, it was far too late for that now, wasn't it.? She concluded, before taking off once more, this time toward the stable. Careful not to be noticed, she spotted Taijo and waved over to him silently. The boy's face lit up happily as he cautiously approached her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"Taijo, can you get me a horse?" She asked him softly. "One that you can spare without notice for a while?"

He gave her a puzzled look.

"It's important," she informed him. "Please."

The boy nodded, without another question. He didn't understand, but he would do anything for her. "Follow me."

Quietly, they moved through the stables and he readied a well-tamed mare for her, a silver dapple that was a spare for the Lady Mikoto and would not be missed.

"You know what you're doing, Sakura-san?" he asked quietly.

"Well enough," she replied from her hiding place, as she thought of the few lessons Kakashi had given her astride a horse with the Senju.

She glanced over to see that Thunder was indeed gone from his stall, and she felt more compelled to get going. Once the horse was bridled and saddled, Taijo led her carefully out of the stables when the coast seemed clear.

"What's the meaning of this?" The stable master appeared, making them both stiffen. "Where are you taking that animal?"

Taijo turned around quickly. "Yun-san, Sakura-san is expected by Sasuke-sama, it's very urgent sir…"

"I was not informed." He replied squarely, taking the horse forcefully by the bridal. "What do you take me for? She's not allowed to leave the grounds unsupervised." He whistled for a few guards who were quick to appear. "Take her back to the house and inform his lordship."

Sakura took a step back. "No, wait…" she began, as they both took hold of each of her arms.

"Let her go." a deep voice spoke, making all that were present take pause. Sakura turned to see Fugaku standing at the entrance, dressed for a council meeting.

Her mouth fell open in question, but nothing came out.

"My lord…" the stable master began.

"Let her go," he insisted, though he remained calm. "Did you not hear? She is expected."

"Yes my lord, sorry, she means to take a horse and I…"

"You may go back to your duties, she is not your concern."

Taijo and the men filed away without another word, but Sakura stood stunned, lips parted faintly in question, trying to comprehend what the Uchiha Lord was doing.

His gaze fell to hers and they acknowledged each other in silence for a while, before he finally moved to pass her slowly.

"Go," he told her, leaning down to her ear, his voice unusually soft, as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're needed." She let out a breath as he released her, her gaze following after his retreating form in confusion.

A second later, she came back to her senses and quickly mounted the mare, taking off as fast as she could manage.

:::

By midday she had reached the forest trail and found Thunder waiting there, bound to a tree branch. She left the mare in his company as she quickly made the hike. She was stronger now and far more properly dressed as she climbed the cliffs, remembering her struggle the first time… back when Sasuke had shared his hiding place with her... it felt like a lifetime ago,

When he first started to dismantle her walls.

She paused, evening out her breathing before she continued.

What had come over her? How could she have let him in? Given him everything?

Fool, you've been unwinding slowly since the moment you first laid eyes on him.

She pressed on with more vigor, moving as fast as her legs could carry her, cursing under her breath as she went, letting the approaching roar of the water drown out her mind.

It wasn't long before she reached the incline… and there he stood, out on the ledge, back to her, staring into the waterfall that plummeted with increased intensity from the storm.

Something was indeed wrong, his usually keen senses had not even taken notice of her.

Relief and many other things surged through her veins as she moved with the same abandon as before, rushing forward and embracing him from behind, her arms slipping under his and folding protectively over his chest. He stiffened in surprise, inhaling sharply at the sudden, intimate contact.

"...Sakura." he breathed out after a few moments, feeling her rest her forehead against his back. "What… How…"

"What's happened?" she asked quietly.

He brought a hand up to her wrist, staring down at her small hands in contemplation.

"I'm sorry." he murmured, his voice rough and broken.

"Tell me what it is." she insisted, feeling her heart constricting.

He moved to turn in her embrace and she did her best to hold her ground when his eyes met hers, only to start at their color, a blood-red with spinning black tomos centering around his dilated pupil.

The Sharingan.

She stared up at him in silence, unable to look away... He'd been crying. Why had he been crying?

He took hold of her arms, for which she was grateful, she needed the support. "I…I can't..." he couldn't manage to continue.

"No…" she whispered in fear. "Itachi?"

He shook his head roughly. "You thought I was dead last night?"

She blinked slowly in reply, remembering his parents… their sorrow... if it had not been his death that was spoken of, nor Itachi's...

"It was my cousin, Shisui," he told her, hiding his gaze.

"I…" she didn't know where to begin. She'd never known the Uchiha, only that he was Sasuke's squad captain and what Sasuke had mentioned of him from time to time. But, she knew for certain that he was very close to both of the brothers. "I'm sorry," she whispered not knowing what else to say, reaching to touch his face softly. His skin was so cold.

She had never seen him like this.

"They killed him," he confessed softly, closing his eyes against her touch. "Because of Itachi…."

"What?" She questioned incredulously.

"My father was behind it," Sasuke told her, his tone dark. "To lure my brother back."

"You have to warn him." she realized suddenly, her mind working quickly. "Tell him not to come, if he…"

"If he doesn't, they'll know he's a traitor," he replied with a shake of his head, he'd had far longer to contemplate this. "It's not a trap, it's a test."

Sakura panicked at that. "But his mission… if he's…"

"I don't know." He breathed out. "I don't know what he's going to do."

Sakura could only stare as she tried to put it all together... Fugaku had taken part in the murder of his nephew to capture his son.

"Sasuke…" she murmured faintly, not knowing what else to do but embrace him. Slowly she felt his arms slide around her, before tightening securely as he buried his face into her shoulder.

"He killed him." He repeated. "He killed him."

Sakura looked over his shoulder into the cascading water, echoing loudly through the cave, holding him more tightly, more protectively.

"Itachi is going to be the death of all of us." Sasuke realized, pulling away from her, but keeping a stronghold.

Sakura watched as the Sharingan slowly faded, his eyes pooling back to their familiar black.

He lifted his hands, cradling her face gently and she could see the night come over him again, relieved to have her near. "...I shouldn't have left you."

She shook her head slowly, that didn't matter now.

He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. "Stay with me."

…

"Is there something about no prisoners you don't understand, Hatake?" Tsunade asked as his traveling party approached the first outpost. She had spotted the Uchiha a mile away and thought it quite lenient of herself to not order an arrow straight through his skull and let Kakashi explain himself. She was a true Senju, and she had nothing but contempt for the clan that had slaughtered so many members of her family. Madara's blood was cursed. They brought nothing but pain and suffering in their wake.

She gave the prisoner a once over, ignoring his respectful nod in her direction, before turning her attention to the silver-haired shinobi, one of the few people she trusted with her life.

"Morning, General." Kakashi greeted tiredly, the healer Rin by his side and her team in tow behind them. "Am I glad to see you."

And now a segment of Misplaced Quotes in the Naruto Universe:

Sasuke: Are you calling me a liar?

Naruto: I ain't calling you a truther!