Chapter 55 – And The People Bowed And Prayed

The world around her was blurred when she eventually became aware of herself. She was standing with the others inside of Shukaku's Ultimate Defence, unable to fully process what she'd just witnessed. Everyone else was finding something to do with themselves, were preparing themselves to go straight back into the battle. They were moving in fast forward around her, leaving her to stand there helplessly, staring at the blurred spot where she'd previously seen Itachi.

Itachi.

"Sakura…"

A horrible pain in her chest had her knees dropping to the ground.

She didn't see the Sand Siblings exchanging wary, somewhat sympathetic glances. Didn't feel the gesture of Temari placing a hand on her shoulder. They were telling her they were sorry, but all Sakura could focus on were the sounds of the battle resuming behind the wall of sand like nothing significant had even happened. Like they hadn't just made the man she loved collateral damage.

He saved her. Why did it feel so… familiar? Why did it feel like déjà vu?

"We will watch over Haruno-senpai," someone said from behind her. She was guessing it to be ANBU, since it had Temari and Kankuro backing away with a nod. Due to the circumstances, it was understandable that they would be wary of leaving her in the watch of another village. Once the siblings were gone, she heard the same person say to whoever was with him, "Is she fully conscious?"

They must have shaken their head, because their reply was, "Who'd have thought Uchiha-senpai and Haruno-senpai were so close?"

"There have been rumours-"

"Enough."

The new voice finally had her numbness fading, had tears filling her eyes as the owner of said voice knelt before her, her eyes zeroing in on his dark ones. They were filled with similar pain and her heart broke as she recalled his sharingan being activated during the…

The tears fell. "I-Itachi is…"

Shisui nodded. "I tried to-" He cut himself off, looking away with a scowl. "I couldn't get to him. There was too much commotion for me to be able to-"

"Don't," she whispered, hands finding his with the last of her strength. "You don't have to explain to me. Not when all I could do was watch it happen."

There was a pause, one where he regarded her seriously, brokenly. It was clear to her that he was experiencing the same crushing grief as herself, but she had no idea what to do to comfort him. She didn't even know what to do with herself. Couldn't think of her next move. Couldn't think of how to move her body anymore. She felt like the beast bomb had killed her, too.

As though he could sense her composure slipping away from her, Shisui surprised her by reaching out, all but yanking her to his chest. Strong arms wrapped around her, the mixture of blood, sweat and smoke assaulting her senses. It felt so familiar, like they'd been in a similar position before. Had they? Had there ever been a moment, together, where they were certain they'd lost Itachi? She couldn't recall. It didn't seem to bother him that she couldn't react to the hug. Didn't upset him that she couldn't return it. For the longest time, all Sakura was capable of doing was staring at the crumbling wall of sand, the tears that were stinging her eyes unable to fall.

Shinobi should not show–

"Let it out, Sakura," Shisui mumbled into her hair, his chest shaking for a moment like he was struggling to breathe.

She couldn't.

She couldn't let go.

If she let go, she would revert back to the state she'd been in before Itachi came along. She would become weak once more. Unable to take care of herself. It would be like everything she'd accomplished since Ino's death, all her hard work, all the time Itachi, Tsunade and everyone else had put into training her, was for nothing. She couldn't do that to him. She couldn't let him down.

She couldn't let his death be for nothing.

Without uttering a word to Shisui, she broke out of his hold, her sudden burst of rage granting her new strength.

"Sakura-"

"Itachi…" She reached into her pouch and took out a soldier pill, popping it into her mouth without hesitation. As soon as she felt the effects of the pill kicking in, chakra flooded her left arm, fist clenching tightly.

"Sakura, don't-"

"Like hell I'm accepting you've left me!" she snarled, shooting forward.

At her last burst of anger and strength, many seemed to follow suit, with Shisui leading the way alongside Sakura as he caught up to her, saying something she didn't bother trying to understand. The three beasts were still at it, but it was clear to her that Naruto was losing energy fast, that Gaara was having to pick up his slack – something that tired him out, from the looks of things. The beast clung to a broken piece of earth, soon flinging itself towards the Hachibi once it spotted her.

Skidding in a sudden change of direction and ignoring the feeling of dirt building up beneath her nails, Sakura launched herself towards the Hachibi, gritting her teeth. There was no hesitation in sending chakra to her feet, in leaping up onto the beast's back. Hopefully, due to it being busy with the other two, it wouldn't even notice her. Hopefully, she could complete her task of… She wasn't even sure what her plan was. Just that she had to do something. She had to hurt the bastard. There was no worry for her own safety, no fear about what would happen should the Hachibi find out about her. No, Sakura was far too concerned with staying on the beast's back and continuing her dead sprint towards its head when it suddenly spun to avoid an attack.

Don't grip at its skin, she told herself. Use chakra to stay on. Like walking on waves.

She didn't ask herself what Itachi would do in her situation. She couldn't distract herself with the vicious pain in her heart. She had to finish the battle. Had to keep fighting. Had to be strong for the villagers who were relying on her.

Had to make his death worth something!

With one last leap, Sakura was above the beast, eyes narrowing and fist glowing blue with chakra as she descended on it, weighed down by the immense chakra gathered in her fist.

"Shannaro!"

The punch had the beast's head hitting the ground with a deafening slam, had the people who re-joined the battle knocked off their feet or sent flying through the air with the shock waves of the attack. Others were smart enough to run away as the ground further shattered around them, as the earth opened up. Dirt, smoke and debris covered everything for what felt like a lifetime and she used the cover to put distance between herself and the Hachibi, hands going through the seals necessary to summon Katsuyu.

"Your chakra–"

"I know," she said through gritted teeth, willing herself to hold out just a little bit longer. "But we're needed right now, Katsuyu-sama."

Instead of arguing like she thought the summon would, Katsuyu nodded once, her tentacles dipping with acceptance. "What do you need?"

"Spray it with acid while its down there."

Again, there was another nod before her summon was rushing forward, much faster than others thought possible for a slug, and once she was close enough, she sprayed the Hachibi with a devastating amount of acid, never letting up until she was certain she'd got him. But there wasn't enough time to vacate the area as several tails suddenly shot out of the crater, wrapping around Katsuyu's body with a deadly grip. The slug struggled valiantly, her body shuddering and small noises of discomfort left her.

"Sa…"

The air was shifting… Narrowing her eyes, she noticed sand shooting towards her. "Do it, Katsuyu-sama."

"Yes, Sakura-sama."

It didn't occur to her that she was addressed as such until she was already on the sand platform, being taken to Shukaku. Had she heard that correctly? Had Katsuyu truly addressed her so highly? Her fingers gripped at the ledge, green eyes widening as she witnessed Katsuyu burst into hundreds of smaller versions of herself, surprising the Hachibi long enough for Naruto to rush in and grab at its tails, yanking it out of the hole and slamming it down onto the ground. From her position, she couldn't see his expression, but Sakura could sense his killing intent.

"Do it, Naruto," said the Ichibi behind her, the voice a mixture of Gaara's and Shukaku's. "Finish him."

He was going to do it. The beast bomb was forming in the mouth of the Kyuubi, its head tipping back to accommodate the powerful ball. But instead of continuing like she thought he would, the attack dissipated without warning, Katsuyu springing up between them.

"Katsuyu-sama, get out of there!" Sakura screamed over the howling wind.

"Forgive me, Sakura-sama," the slug said apologetically, head dipping. "But this will only make things worse."

What? But she was just on their side! "You-"

"Please, listen to me," she begged. "Tsunade-sama contacted me via our contract. Naruto-kun, you have already defeated the Nibi. That is one less jinchūriki in Kumo and they will be unhappy about it. But should you kill the Raikage's brother, then Konoha will have no choice but to go to war."

"We're already at war–"

"No, you're not," argued Katsuyu, speaking directly to Gaara. "This is a fierce battle, yes. It was an ambush, yes. But it is an ambush meant to start a war. This is not an actual Shinobi World War yet – it doesn't have to be."

She… had a point. Both Katsuyu and Tsunade did. But Itachi was dead because of them. He had been killed. That was never going to be okay. There wasn't even a body to bury. She couldn't say goodbye. There was no way they could get any closure.

"Katsuyu-sama is right," a voice yelled from below them and as she peeked over the edge of the sand platform, she saw Shisui standing on the ground, his hand raising over his eyes to block out the sun. "Not only that, but I know this isn't what Itachi would want. Sakura, you know it, too. You know in your heart that this wasn't the kind of person-"

"Itachi's dead," she screamed right back, unable to stop the tears gathering in her eyes. "The Hachibi killed him-"

"He was standing directly in the middle of all three," he argued calmly and, much to her horror, the sand platform began to lower, taking her closer to Shisui. When she was close enough to see his expression, her heart sunk at the sight of his bloodshot eyes, at his severely bitten lip. It looked as though he'd done all he could to keep himself calm, because Shisui was known for his levelheadedness. He had to remain that way in front of his comrades, who all looked up to him.

"But this wouldn't have happened-"

"Sakura."

As the sand crumbled from beneath her once she was close enough to him, Shisui caught her effortlessly, setting her down on her feet.

"Do not allow hatred to consume you," he quietly pleaded, hands coming to each side of her head when she tried to avert her gaze. "Itachi loved you so much. You were one of – if not the most dearest person to him in his life. He would not want this. Not when he knew you're capable of rising above all of this mess." There was no stopping her tears as she was forced to keep eye contact, as she was forced to see all of her friend's pain. She could see her own reflected in his eyes and Gods, she couldn't breathe. "Do not lose yourself – don't lose woman he loved more than anything."

She couldn't help but sob and Shisui caught her when her legs threatened to give out on her, holding her close.

So he hadn't been joining the battle like she originally thought. Instead, Shisui had been trying to stop her. In her mind, during her rage, she thought he was feeling the same way. She thought he wanted vengeance, too. But of course, Shisui wouldn't lose his head like that. And he was right. Itachi was in the middle of all three attacks. His death was a combination of all three beast bombs colliding. And Sakura knew Naruto would live with that guilt for the rest of his life, knowing he'd not only killed his best friend's brother, but he'd also taken away her love.

It was only when he'd gotten through to her that Sakura caught sight of the damage created from their battle. Long gone was the forest surrounding the opening of their village, the once beautiful scenery decimated by their anger and hatred. There was nothing left and it had her heart sinking at the mere thought of the state of their home.

The sight of Konoha would have devastated him.

"I want him back," she whispered brokenly. "W-We… didn't have enough t-time."

"I know," he replied, voice gruff. "But know that he loved you, Sakura. He loved you so much."

There was no telling how the battle ended, not when she was too tied up in her grief to pay any attention any more. She was grateful when Shisui took her away from the battlefield just in time for the others to swarm it, helping their comrades or making sure the enemy had truly retreated from their village. Those who were in the shelters wouldn't leave for a whole day once the battle had ended, just to ensure their safety.

She wasn't sure how much time passed when Naruto came looking for her, his face a mess of blood, tears and dirt. For the longest time they sat in silence, with him knowing there was no way of apologising for what had happened, but after a while, he tried anyway.

"Sakura-chan, I'm-" It hurt to hear Naruto's voice break, to visibly see how wounded he was with his actions. "I tried to stop it. I tried to grab him. I just-" There was a broken sob. "I couldn't get to him in time. I'm so sorry."

"What?"

A new wave of grief washed over her as Shisui quickly stood from his perch on a piece of rubble, as he approached the younger Uchiha warily. He held out his hands to him, his expression one of pain and regret, but at the sight of it, Sasuke took a step back, his brows mashing together angrily.

"No," he argued before they could say anything. "No, he's not."

"Sasuke, I'm sorry," Shisui whispered. "He's gone. Itachi's de-"

"Don't fucking finish that sentence," came his vicious snarl, katana swinging through the air. "Itachi isn't dead." His hand was steady, the grip on his katana never faltering for a second. "Sakura."

She looked over in his direction, taking in his tattered, blood soaked uniform. His features told her of his defiance, of his refusal to believe their words. Gods, she wished she could tell him it was all a lie. She wished she could tell him that Itachi was okay. That he was still with them. That he was going to grow old with her and… and–

The crumbling of her features had him shakily lowering the katana from Shisui's throat. "Itachi is…"

He turned, doubling over as he emptied the contents of his stomach, the sound of his strained, barely there whimper shattering her heart beyond repair. She had to look away from him, her knees coming up to her chest, arms wrapping around them tightly. He's gone. Resting her forehead on her knees, Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, willing her heart to stop aching so horrifically. Ino's death had devastated her – it'd broken her. But Itachi's… It felt different, like there was no coming back from it. Like she'd experienced a snippet of the pain before so knew how badly it was destroying her inside. And what scared her the most was that she didn't have the energy to fight it. She didn't care because he was gone.

There was a commotion behind her and she could hear Sasuke snapping at Shisui, demanding to know what happened. He wanted to know what managed to take down the seemingly undefeatable Uchiha Itachi. Naruto stood up at his yelling, though was frozen for a moment. She couldn't sense him moving. Maybe he was scared of telling Sasuke the truth? Maybe he was hesitating because he didn't know how to tell him? She propped her chin onto her knees and stared at her teammate with heavy eyes. Could she ever forgive him? Honestly, Sakura wasn't sure. She knew it was accidental and she knew he would've done everything possible to save him. But that voice in the back of her head continued to hiss that it didn't matter. No matter how hard he tried, he didn't save him. Itachi died trying to assist him.

"Sasuke, calm down–"

"Get the hell off me!"

"Stop it," Shisui finally snapped, yanking the thrashing Uchiha to a halt. "Calm yourself. You–"

Somehow, he got away, falling to his knees before her, bringing her attention away from Naruto as she focused on his features. They were twisted with grief and rage, the mixture of emotions and the trauma making the tomoe in his sharingan spin. The numbness truly was back, as she didn't feel anything at all when she witnessed the tomoe swirl into a new design. Was it because it was so predictable?

"Sakura."

After all her training with Itachi, she didn't hesitate to hold his gaze, though fortunately she didn't have to put any of that training to use, as he merely watched her, his eyes searching her face for traces of hope. When he found none, his eyes dropped to the ground, eyebrows mashing together and biting down on his lip harshly.

"Was it…" Briefly, he met her eye, but quickly looked away, trying to keep his composure. "Where is he? He wasn't just left-"

"No," she croaked. Like hell she would've left him there alone. "There was nothing left."

Sasuke shut his eyes, expression one of pain and through gritted teeth he let out a faint noise that she couldn't fully identify. It sounded like a mixture of a muffled shout and a cry. Whatever it was, it signified his agony – one he was trying so desperately hard to hide from the world. It was too intense, though. Just one look at his face told her that.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Naruto murmured, head bowed. "I'm sorry."

Just as his head snapped up, just as those red and black eyes narrowed dangerously, just as realisation had him slowly turning, a dark, murderous intent filling the air around them, threatening to suffocate them all, she heard something that had her blood running cold. It was something that had her instantly on her feet, wide green eyes meeting Shisui's.

"The Hokage is missing," someone cried in utter despair. "Anybody who can move will aid in the search!"

And she couldn't do anything more than watch as her best friend's world fell apart.

It had been two days since the battles ended. Two days since the death of her lover. Two days since their Hokage disappeared seemingly without a trace.

Kushina had been inconsolable, all but tearing the village apart on the first day trying to find her beloved husband. She didn't care about his position as Hokage (deep down she probably did, but not entirely), she just wanted her husband home. On the second day, when it was painfully obvious Minato was no longer in the village, she demanded they gave chase because the enemy had to have him. He wouldn't leave them. He couldn't die.

Then, there was Naruto. She didn't know where to start.

For as long as she could, Sakura aided in the search, joining what was left of her former ANBU squad to try and find their Hokage. She couldn't have her current squad search for him because their captain was still unconscious and her teammates couldn't be within a mile of each other without Sasuke trying to rip Naruto's throat out. But when Tsunade realised Sakura was still up and about, the blonde dragged her away from the search party (proof of how weak she'd become was the fact her shishou didn't even have to use chakra to restrain her) and forced her to rest in the shelters. Much to her horror, when Tsunade placed her with her family, they were seated with the Uchiha Clan. It was cowardly, but Sakura pretended to lose consciousness, unable to face Itachi's parents.

Shisui had already informed the pair, taking them aside and telling them how sorry he was. There was nothing any of them could have done, he all but whispered, choking up. Sasuke was forced to join the clan once the others realised how bad things were between him and Naruto. The second they heard the news and felt the killing intent radiating from the young Uchiha who was preparing himself to attack the blond, they decided the best thing to do was to keep them separated, leaving Naruto under the protection of ANBU's finest.

Soon enough, however, she couldn't fake anymore. She had to face reality. Mebuki was fussing over her once they realised she was awake, ignoring the fact her daughter didn't reciprocate her affections. All Sakura could do was stare up at the jagged ceiling, willing herself not to break down.

"Oh, Sakura," Mebuki whispered, stroking her cheek. "It's okay to be upset. You loved him."

No. It wasn't okay to be upset. Not when his parents were holding themselves together so admirably. They were caring for their clan, ensuring Sasuke remained calm and saying with their presence alone that those in the shelters were safe with their clan around. Their current patriarch may be gone, but he went out with honour. It took three tailed beasts to defeat him, she'd heard one of the younger Uchiha saying proudly, puffing his chest out as he boasted to the children.

Slowly, weakly, she tried to sit up, but it wasn't until her father helped that she was able to. He tried to lay her back down when she winced, hissing at the cramping of her muscles, but she waved him off. It was something she had to do. Something she needed to do. So, on unsteady legs and ignoring the side affects of Sōzō Saisei, she forced herself to stand, holding onto the rough wall. Her heavy green eyes were focused on the main family of the Uchiha Clan, their proud features scarily blank as they stared out ahead of themselves.

They were forced to acknowledge her when Sakura stood before them, swaying in her place momentarily. Sasuke's eyes narrowed on her, Mikoto's saddened. Fugaku remained motionless despite the fact she knew he could sense her presence.

"I…" The words died on her tongue as the chatter surrounding them vanished. Everyone was focused on her, their attention making her acutely aware of the tears stinging her eyes. "It's my fault."

"Sakura-"

She shook her head at Sasuke, eyes squeezing shut. "They were looking to me for orders – I-Itachi wanted me to take the lead. And I messed up." They were stunned when she lowered herself to her knees, forehead almost touching the ground. With her hair shielding her features, she allowed her tears to fall. "I told him to assist Naruto with his mangekyō. I'm the one who sent him to that…" It didn't matter to her that her voice was cracking under the pressure of her emotions. Didn't matter that she could barely breathe. "I sent him out to the battle knowing how dangerous it was. I'm the one who couldn't find an opening for him. I'm the one he shoved out of the way and took the attack for. It's all my fault!"

"Stop it."

The hold on the back of her shirt was rough as she was forced to sit up, her features pitiful as she gazed at the blurred figure of the former patriarch. Tears streamed down her cheeks, the sight surely unpleasant.

"Itachi told us time and time again you are no weak woman, Haruno," he muttered, grip tightening. "Do not make my son a liar."

"Oi, let go of her. She's grieving-"

"She is also a shinobi," Fugaku snapped, uncaring of how rudely he cut her father off. He stood to his full height, bringing her with him. When she stood on shaking legs, he continued to hold onto her, his expression one of annoyance. "One powerful enough to capture Itachi's attention. He taught you all he knew. He guided you. Do not make all his efforts for nothing. That is something I will not tolerate."

"But, I-Itachi is…"

There was a pause in his reply, his hand shaking momentarily and the open display of emotion took her breath away. "Itachi will always be my son – I will always be proud of the man he became. He chose you to become our clan's future matriarch. Although the wedding never happened, you are still a part of this clan."

Standing, Mikoto placed a hand on Fugaku's shoulder. "What my husband is trying to say, Sakura, is that we have yet to be disappointed by you. Please, don't start now. Our clan needs strength – something we know you have plenty of."

What? "Y-You still want…?"

"Sasuke will need guidance," she continued quietly. "Guidance, we believe, that should only come from the woman his older brother loved fiercely enough to give his life to protect."

Of course. Sasuke had to become the patriarch now that his older brother was gone. Fugaku was still unable to lead the clan, believing himself to be weakened due to the loss of his sight.

Ignoring the pain her body was in, she tried her best to stand tall, nodding once at their expectant features.

"I promise I'll do my best to guide him."

"Good. I like to believe this is what Itachi would want," she whispered, unable to speak louder.

Nodding, Sakura opened her mouth, about to ask something, only to be cut off by an Uchiha who came bursting into the shelters, eyes wide and face flushed as he barely managed to wheeze out, "I have completed the count, Fugaku-sama. There are a total of one hundred and twenty-seven dead. One person is missing."

His head tilted in the boy's direction. "Name."

"Uchiha Obito."

Both Minato and Obito were gone – she knew it was connected somehow. It wasn't just a coincidence. Several people were missing, but soon after being labelled as missing, they were declared dead, their bodies hidden amongst the destruction and the rubble.

Why were they both missing? Sitting down, Sakura glanced around herself, heart heavy and forcing her to bite down on her lip to try and suppress her emotions. Minato had his Hiraishin no Jutsu, meaning he could have possibly teleported himself and Obito away from the village as long as he'd marked the area previously, but they already had ANBU scouring all known markings for their Hokage. So far, nothing.

And what reason would Minato have to teleport the pair of them away from the village? Knowing ANBU, they would've wanted to remove any threats towards the village – as much as it hurt to admit it: Obito was a big threat. From what she'd seen of it, his murderous rampage was unstoppable. ANBU had taken it upon themselves to take him out, only to be stopped by their Hokage, who ordered them to stand down. Obito was his student, therefore his responsibility. They knew Minato was going soft on him, but…

Green eyes squeezed shut.

Their village was going to fall apart. There was no escaping it. Their Hokage was gone. Uchiha Itachi – one of the most likely to become the next Hokage – was also gone. Kakashi was still unconscious. A great number of their forces had been killed during the attack. It didn't leave a lot of options and it took away so much stability.

"Come, Sakura," somebody said behind her. "You shouldn't be alone out here."

She ignored Neji even as he came to stand directly behind her. As always, his presence was intimidating, but she found it didn't affect her half as much as it used to. Perhaps she'd known him too long? Perhaps she could no longer feel intimidation after experiencing so much pain? Was she exhausted? Mentally drained? It was possible, she supposed.

The weather was dreary. It was neither sunny nor cloudy, leaving them all to wonder which way it would go later in the day. Would they be blessed with sunshine as they worked tirelessly to repair the damages? Would they be cursed with rain? There were too many questions for her now and she found herself taking deeper breaths, subconsciously trying to calm down.

"You are needed in the village."

What use was she? There were barely a few drops of chakra left in her reserves. She couldn't bring down ruined buildings to make room for new ones. She couldn't heal anyone. She could barely even walk thirty feet without growing lightheaded from the exertion. She used way too much chakra during the battle and now that it was over, she was useless.

"Leave me," she ordered quietly.

"No."

Her eyebrow twitched, but she didn't speak again, choosing to remain silent. If Neji was going to stand there all day, then so be it. It wasn't going to bother her. Not when her mind was occupied with other things.

According to Gaara, the place she was sat was the exact location the three beast bombs collided, causing an explosion so great that the beasts nearly wiped themselves out. Shukaku's Ultimate Defence barely made it through the attack and was destroyed easily with her weakened punch.

The Sand Siblings continued to stay in Konoha, watching out for attacks while they were so weak. Their Kazekage had even sent out a few platoons of Suna-nin to try and aid them.

Sakura opened her eyes and looked to the bottom of the crater she was kneeling in, her fingers grazing the damaged soil. She was betting the grass would never grow back the same, if it did at all, after the holes were filled in by someone with the earth style. It would always be a reminder of how much they lost. Of how much she lost.

They barely had any time together. Amongst all the arguments and the heartbreak, the confusion and the wary hope, they barely had any time to simply explore their relationship as an ordinary man and woman. There was always something that needed doing – always a mission that needed their assistance, or a clan that required their undivided attention.

It felt like she was too tired to even cry, so Sakura did nothing more than stare down at the blackened dirt that resembled charcoal more than anything.

"He's really gone, isn't he?"

The new voice had her eyes shutting again. She'd promised her she would protect Itachi with everything she had. She promised to stand by his side and aid in leading the clan. Not even an hour later and he was dead.

"Is this…?" The words died on her tongue as she came to stand beside Sakura, arm wrapped around her middle. She was probably still tender from the attack she'd taken, though Sakura couldn't find the strength to care or try to heal her. She couldn't even nod. "Haruno, I-"

"Perhaps it would be best to leave," came Neji's cool order. "She's in no fit state to converse with you right now."

But Neji went ignored as the woman knelt in front of Sakura, her eyebrows knitting together uncertainly. Her eyes searched her features – what she was trying to find was a mystery to her.

"Don't let this break you," she told her seriously, almost pleadingly. "You promised-"

"I promised to protect him," Sakura muttered and finally met her eye, ignoring the responding flinch at her next words, "And now Itachi is dead."

"He-"

"Wouldn't want this?" she questioned, laughing once humourlessly, brokenly. How many times had she heard that? "No, he wouldn't. But he didn't want to die, either. He wanted to protect our village, Izumi. He wanted to have a future. With me. He put his faith in me and I-" Sakura sucked in a sharp breath and tilted her head back, willing herself to remain strong. "I failed him."

Tears filled her eyes – the first sign of weakness she'd ever truly witnessed coming from the usually guarded Uchiha. Like herself, Izumi was heartbroken. The love of her life was gone. The man they'd both loved with all their hearts was dead. The only difference was that Izumi's love was unrequited. She'd never experienced what it was like to be held by him. To inhale his scent of a morning when they were in the early stages of waking up. Feeling his kisses and the way the whole world seemed to stop when they were alone, like they were the only ones who mattered in that moment in time.

Despite her earlier assumption of being too tired to cry, Sakura felt tears slipping down her cheek as she whispered, "I want him back."

Izumi nodded quickly. "I know."

"It's not fair," came her sudden cry and her nails dug into the dirt, grabbing fistfuls of it. "We only just started…" She bit her lip so hard that it drew blood, but Sakura couldn't feel it. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

The proud Uchiha's shoulders shook when Sakura broke down into heart-breaking sobs, and she was quick to catch her when she doubled over, the sides of their heads pressed together, hands gripping tightly as they shared their pain.

"You have to stop doing this."

She shook her head, eyes glued to the bottom of the crater. Her heart wouldn't let her leave the area, no matter how badly her head protested or her body ached with the need to rest. It ruled above all others, leaving no room to argue. No matter where she was in the village, her heart took control of her body and forced Sakura to return to that place.

The pendant resting just below her collarbone felt like it was scalding her skin. Even though the pain was unbearable, she refused to remove it. She couldn't. It symbolised their love. It showed they were ready to commit. He'd wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"You're here just as much as I am," she accused softly, never looking up as Sasuke came to sit beside her. Pausing as she sensed something, she sighed. "Shisui still has to watch over you?"

He nodded silently.

"How do they do it?" she questioned. "The villagers. They go about their day like they don't feel the pain of loss."

"Civilians are ignorant," Sasuke replied and followed her gaze to the bottom of the crater despite it being impossible to see due to the darkness that accompanied the night. They'd yet to fix the damage – probably because she continuously returned to the scene. "They appreciate how hard shinobi work, but they don't understand our loss. They don't understand how much we have to lose to protect them."

Her hand found his and she couldn't help but feel a small ounce of comfort at his returning hold. "It's been two weeks," came her whisper. "But it feels like only moments ago." Again, he was silent. "How am I supposed to just… carry on?"

There was a sigh behind them, but neither turned to face Shisui as he finally joined them, dropping to her other side. Having them both there, two of Itachi's most precious people, eased her aching heart somewhat. They understood, to an extent. They adored him just as much, if not more, than she did.

It wasn't unusual for Shisui to join them. He seemed to need the silent comfort just as much. "Nobody is expecting either of you to move on. They understand your grief. Right now, however, they-"

"They're more concerned with the Hokage's disappearance to care about Itachi," Sasuke cut him off harshly, eyes narrowing.

"You're wrong," he argued calmly. Then, he sighed again, his eyes focusing on the night sky. The moon and stars lit up the dark sky, granting them with some form of light. It wasn't enough to light up the entire battlefield, but it sufficed. "Our clan, for starters, are in mourning, as are those who personally knew Itachi. However, you cannot forget that there were a lot of fatalities during the battle, Sasuke. Just because they aren't focusing on Itachi specifically, it doesn't mean they're not suffering just as greatly."

"They could have lost their Itachi," added Sakura quietly and like she had for Sasuke, she took Shisui's hand, giving a gentle squeeze. "Their best friend, their sibling, their lover. They… They share our pain, Sasuke-kun. Just not over the same person."

There was no reply from him other than the clenching of his jaw, his eyes becoming glassy. It made her happy – no, not happy, but something close to happiness, knowing that Sasuke was comfortable with sharing his grief with them. He knew they wouldn't judge him. He could cry in front of them.

"I can't take his place."

"You-"

Even she wasn't so lost to her grief to miss the change in the air, the one that had Shisui cutting himself off and activating his sharingan, had him breathing out shakily. Without missing a beat, Sasuke followed his lead and she didn't fail to notice the way he paled.

"What?" she demanded, unsure as to whether she had enough energy to fight their new enemy. "What do you see?"

"It's…" Words failed Sasuke and he stood on weak legs, hands slack by his sides.

Then, without warning, he was skidding down the walls of the crater, disappearing into the darkness. She was grateful when Shisui helped her stand, but was completely taken by surprise when he reached for her legs and picked her up, carrying Sakura down to the bottom of the crater. It was terrifying being submerged in darkness, but it didn't last for long as he reached into his pouch and removed a flare, lighting it up in one smooth movement.

And the sight that greeted her had her fighting to be placed down onto her feet, had her struggling desperately to get down because standing only ten feet away from her, in the tight embrace of his younger brother, stood the man she'd chosen to spend the rest of her life with, his dark eyes staring down at the head of spiky dark hair in warm surprise.

When his eyes met hers, Sakura felt as though all oxygen had been sucked out of the universe. Had she ever realised how breathtakingly beautiful his eyes were before? Had she ever truly appreciated the gentleness of his gaze? The way his lips curved at the corners when he looked her way? Gods, she couldn't breathe.

"Genjutsu," she whispered, clutching Shisui to try and anchor herself. "It has to be genjutsu."

"Sakura-"

"We're not…" Sakura shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "We're not that lucky. We can't be."

It was only then that she realised two others were standing behind Itachi, the older of the lot smiling sadly at her broken expression, whereas the other seemed unsure of himself, watching her closely. Their appearances were dishevelled and it was clear they were still wearing the same outfits they'd worn during battle, for they were torn and bloody. Wherever they'd been, there hadn't been any supplies, apparently.

"I…"

Gently, not wanting to upset him, Itachi pulled away from his brother and looked down at him, saying, "I need to comfort my future wife, Sasuke."

Numbly, he nodded, red and black eyes never leaving his older brother's form as he approached Sakura, pulling her against him without pause.

"This is…"

He smelled like him. Like Itachi. Albeit, a lot sweatier, making it obvious he hadn't showered in a while, but that was beside the point. Beneath all the sweat and the blood and the grime, he was Itachi. Itachi was alive. She breathed in deeply through her nose, clinging to him in a state of disbelief.

"Real," he told her softly, fingers running through her hair before he shut his eyes, cheek resting on the top of her head. "This is real."

"How?" Shisui questioned, eyes tearing from Itachi to his companions. "You were both missing without a trace. Itachi was dead. I saw you die."

"No, you saw him disappear," the oldest Uchiha corrected. "Minato-sensei and I joined the battle just in time for the beast bombs to go off and with my sharingan, I was able to teleport us all to safety. After that, however, there wasn't enough chakra to return. We had to wait."

"But you were against Konoha," Sasuke argued distractedly, still focusing on his brother. "You stabbed Tsunade."

"I made him see sense, Sasuke-kun," Minato replied with a smile. "That and we saw for ourselves that Rin-chan was alive."

Something flickered across Obito's expression, his eyebrows knitting together. "Sakura-chan, how…?"

How did she save her? How was she doing? How was Rin feeling after Obito's disappearance? There were too many paths the beginning of that sentence could go down and Sakura was still way too shocked to even consider trying to figure… Damn, she couldn't even think clearly. Couldn't string together a coherent thought. Itachi was alive. He was holding her.

Still, she knew Obito deserved some answers – Itachi pulling back a few inches to meet her eye confirming that thought. Shaking her head, she tried to calm herself. "Rin-san was… Honestly, I don't know how she survived," replied Sakura. "Stubbornness, maybe? I assumed she was dead – no-one could survive the attack she took on to try and save a patient. I…" The words died on her tongue and she frowned. "I only realised she was alive when she came to Naruto's aid. She tried to help heal him."

"And Kushina?" Minato questioned. Despite trying to appear calm, she could see the worry etched into his features. "Naruto? Did they both survive the beast bomb?"

Sakura nodded quickly, wanting to ease her Hokage's worry. "Rin-san is currently with Kushina-sama – they've been tearing the village apart trying to find you both, even though Tsunade-shishou warned Rin-san to rest." She hadn't stuck around long enough to hear the rare argument, despite the fact many found it amusing. "Naruto is… He's…" She grimaced, glancing towards Sasuke. "He's pretty broken up about everything."

"Everything?" repeated Itachi, glancing between the pair.

"He thought he killed you," she told him seriously. "Sasuke-kun thought he killed you."

Realisation had them all falling into a long silence. For some of them, it was uneasy, for others awkward.

Clearing her throat, she added, "ANBU are watching over him, so nothing's happened."

"Not for lack of trying," added Shisui disapprovingly. Sighing when his flare fizzled out, bathing them all in total darkness, he asked, "Shall we return to the village? There's many people who will be relieved to see you all alive."

"That sounds like a good idea," Minato accepted and he patted Obito's shoulder encouragingly, smiling faintly over to Sasuke (and knowing he could see it due to the eerie glow of his Sharingan). "There's much to sort out, it seems."

"Mother-"

"Do not interrupt me," she chided, voice muffled by Itachi's shoulder as she continued to hold him close. They all pretended not to see the shaking of her shoulders, for she was doing an admirable job of keeping her voice level. "I believed my eldest child to be dead for over two weeks – I'm allowed to react this way."

He smiled softly, returning the hold with obvious gentleness. "Aa."

The clan welcomed their patriarch back as best as they could. They were glad for his return, to find that he wasn't actually dead, but many were grieving for those who did die. Their children, their friends or lovers.

When Mikoto finally pulled away at her husband's insistence, he nodded once to his son, expression relaxing out of the well-practised blankness. "Welcome home, Itachi."

Returning to his place by her side, he expressed his gratitude with a quiet, "Thank you, Father." Then, he faced the crowd of Uchiha who had come to welcome him home, his expression softening at the sight of Izumi standing at the front, hand pressed to her chest, features cracking and showing her relief. He seemed just as grateful for her recovery. "In two days' time, I would like to hold a memorial for our clansmen who fought bravely and for those who were unfortunately caught in the unforgivable attack."

As he continued his heartfelt speech with the clan, Sakura couldn't help but stare up at him, still unable to believe she'd truly gotten lucky enough to have him return to her. Not only that, but the whole experience had opened him up to them, from the looks of things – something his clan also noticed, as they watched him in surprise, though soon began cheering and showing their respect. Never before had he been so outspoken with them. Never before had he spoken so emotionally. Was it thanks to his near-death experience? Was he merely feeling emotional due to his relief of being home?

"Please know that we will never forget those we lost," he assured them, making sure to make eye contact with everyone. "And tomorrow, I will meet with Hokage-sama and discuss what our next move is. But please, understand that I am against retaliation."

Sakura's eyes widened at the sudden reaction, facing the crowd as they suddenly broke out in angered yells, demanding to know what the hell their patriarch was thinking. It happened so swiftly – one moment they were praising him and nodding in agreement, then the next, totally against him. It was disorientating.

"Sit back and let them walk all over us? That is not what the Uchiha Clan is about!"

"Sasuke-sama had the right idea when he wanted to avenge you! Allow him to take over!"

"You're too soft to be our leader!"

"You've always been different from us!"

Sighing, Itachi shut his eyes, listening to their outrage without defending himself. Sakura couldn't help but notice the great divide within the clan, however. At first, she'd assumed they were all shouting at once, that they all wanted revenge for those they'd lost. But she was so wrong. Many were shouting, sure, but just as many were shouting at those because, in one Uchiha's words, "Where the hell does revenge get us?"

Clearly, her lover had been expecting such a reaction, but it didn't lessen her worry as she looked between him and the clan. What was going to happen? Would they turn on him even greater than they currently were?

"Oi-" Sasuke began in a snarl, stepping forward.

He was stopped by Itachi reopening his eyes, shaking his head at him minutely. Then, he looked back to the crowd, sharingan activating and morphing into the mangekyō. "It is not only because of my birth right that I am your patriarch and you will do well to remember that."

"You-"

"I am by no means a tyrant, but you will all understand that the clan's old ways will no longer be tolerated," he stated seriously, firmly. There was no room for argument and it had them all falling silent. His father was clearly in shock, his mother more so. They hadn't expected such a sudden change – they'd assumed it would be gradual when it eventually happened. "If you fail to follow me, you will no longer be welcome in this district. You will no longer be an Uchiha."

Shit, had he hit his head? As much as she wanted to, Sakura refrained from demanding to know if he was sure about his actions and words.

"The village will be facing many changes in the near future," Itachi continued ominously, eyes narrowing. It had her frowning in confusion, because it was the first she'd heard of there being any changes. "And our first major change as a clan will be the return of those who were disowned for marrying outside of the clan."

"You're doing this to justify tainting-"

Izumi spun, eyes bleeding to red as she glared warningly at the man behind her, holding a kunai to his throat. "Do not continue with that sentence."

Sakura smirked. At least she knew she could rely on Izumi to have her back.

Knowing that he needed support and that the others would follow should somebody step up first, Shisui left the crowd and stood beside his childhood friend, nodding once. "I've been waiting a while for this," he said loud enough for all to hear him. "It's been a long time coming."

Although more hesitant than Shisui, Sasuke soon agreed, muttering, "I'd rather not be ostracised by the village simply because we can't keep up with their changing ways."

"We need Konoha just as much as they need us," Fugaku surprised them all by saying.

It would take a while, she noticed as many in the crowd hesitated in their agreements, but she knew Itachi would win them over. After all, he was a magnificent leader who deserved the respect he'd earned over the years.

Smiling, she placed her hand on Itachi's arm, expressing her pride with her eyes alone as she met his gaze.

Whenever she questioned him about the future of Konoha, Itachi remained silent, but she could have sworn he'd been staring at her proudly the night before. Unable to leave his angered clan for long, he'd walked her home though reluctantly kissed her goodbye, much to her upset. She understood, however. It was important for him to get his clan under control, not to mention spend time with his parents who'd apparently stayed confined to their home since his death – or supposed death. She could wait.

Fortunately, her home remained relatively untouched during the ambush, though the same couldn't be said for the apartments just across the street from her. That building was barely standing and would no doubt be torn down, as there was no saving it. It would have to be rebuilt, meaning a lot of noise for her.

Sakura glanced around her home once the door was shut and was unable to stop the shaking of her limbs as she fell back against it, sliding to the ground. She couldn't believe… Her hand came to her forehead, massaging her temple. He was alive. Not for the first time since the ambush, tears filled her eyes. He's home.

"You're back."

While unexpected, Sakura didn't react to the sudden voice (though made a mental note to scold herself later on – it didn't matter how skilled her shishou was, she shouldn't be able to sneak up on her like that). She remained hunched over, glassy eyes staring down at the wooden flooring.

Sighing, the blonde stood from the sofa and approached, kneeling down once she was in front of Sakura. "Well? What's your excuse?"

"Tsunade-sama, I-"

"You thought I'd forget about you sneaking off?" she scoffed, honey brown eyes narrowing. "Don't insult me, kid." Standing, she dusted her hands on her pants before pulling something out the pocket, ordering, "Get up and eat this. You're going to need your strength tomorrow."

Tomorrow? Why? She–

Oh right. The meeting with Minato. She supposed her shishou was right – they were going to discuss what their next move should be, but she was certain it wouldn't be to retaliate, not after Itachi's speech. However, it would be wise to try and regain her strength just in case.

"Hope you don't mind, but I'm staying here tonight," Tsunade said conversationally and settled herself back into the sofa. It was only then that Sakura noticed the bottle of sake and two dishes. "I'd say join me, but you've got a big day tomorrow."

The way her shishou said the words had green eyes narrowing suspiciously. What did she know? What was happening tomorrow? Despite her curiosity, Sakura chose to retire to bed, shooting a wary glance over her shoulder when Tsunade chuckled.

Raising her dish to the picture opposite her, the older woman's lips quirked into a rare, proud smile (since the flower left there before the ambush had wilted away, she'd made sure to replace it daily – perhaps that would become part of her morning routine now that her apprentice was going to be swamped with work?).

She chuckled again. "Good luck, kid. You're going to need it."

He was alive.

Why did it still feel so surreal? Like he was about to disappear at any moment?

Just in case, before they entered the Hokage's office, she made sure to grab him, tugging him away from the gathered crowd so that she could steal a kiss. She'd wanted to kiss him the second she saw him, but having everyone around made it… Sakura wasn't sure. It didn't feel right. They were private. She didn't want to share what they had with everyone else.

With the corner to the hallway covering them from view of the office, she allowed herself to get lost in their kiss, fingers tangling in his shirt, clinging to him, trying to bring him impossibly closer. It was hard not getting emotional, for she couldn't help but think of how close she came to never experiencing their love again. The soft feeling of his lips brushing against hers, his hands skimming along her waist, understanding her need to be closer.

"Sakura," he sighed between kisses, hand coming to the back of her head. "Hokage-sama is waiting."

She knew she should care. She knew how wrong it was to make their Hokage wait, but… "Minato can wait," she said and tugged him closer.

"Minato?" said a voice that had her freezing, eyes going wide. Chuckling, the person added, "Why, Sakura-chan, you've gotten awfully bold. What happened to sticking to formalities?"

Itachi released her head and instead patted her back reassuringly, saying over her shoulder, "I believe they are no longer necessary, don't you agree, Kakashi-san?"

Finally looking to her former sensei, she caught him in the process of rubbing the back of his head, chuckling sheepishly. "Now, now, Itachi-san, you know we're not supposed to discuss that just yet."

Discuss what? She wanted to demand to know what they meant, for Tsunade had teased her horrifically before leaving that morning, too. Honestly, she loved her shishou, she truly, truly did, but seeing the blonde so early in the morning when she was hungover and wishing to inflict torture on someone, was not her idea of spending quality time with the older woman. The sooner her home was rebuilt, the better (Sakura still couldn't understand why Tsunade couldn't stay with Shizune and Genma in their spare room rather than crashing on the sofa).

Before she could question them, Itachi replied, saying, "I suppose you're right." Then, to change the subject, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

They began to walk back towards the office and once again, Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "I wish someone had warned me in advance, or at least knocked Obito out. The mangekyō gives you one hell of a hangover. I'm not entirely sure it's worth it on my half, since I can't use it just yet."

Due to their backs being to her, she couldn't see Itachi's smirk, but she knew it was there. "And Obito-san?"

He sighed at that and paused at the door long enough to say, "Still under house arrest, but you can't blame them."

Obito was under house arrest? Like Kakashi was getting at: it was understandable. However, she wished they took his past into consideration. Before the attack on Rin, before he thought she'd died, he was the kindest person she knew. He helped so many people, even if it meant missing appointments or being late for important events. He went so far out of his way to make sure everyone – and not just Konoha citizens – were okay.

"Are you coming, Sakura?" Itachi asked, already halfway through the door.

Nodding, she followed silently. Perhaps she could ask Minato about Obito's options? Or what ANBU were thinking of doing to him? She understood their concern and she was still upset that her shishou received a potentially life threatening injury from him, but she also understood that Obito hadn't been thinking clearly. She'd seen it in his face when he saw Rin the day before and cried in front of them all about how sorry he was, begging for her forgiveness. Not only that, but she'd experienced the pain for herself. She knew what losing the love of her life felt like.

Seeing that everyone was in the room, she shut the door behind herself and stood in front of her current squad, sparing her boys a wary glance. It was still awkward between them from the looks of things, but she hoped with all her heart that they could fight through the problem. At least Sasuke didn't look like he wanted to tear Naruto's throat out anymore. Then again, he wouldn't even look at him.

"I have invited you here because I trust you most," Minato began, blue eyes making sure to catch each of theirs. "Each of you have a part to play in changes that affect the village."

They did? Sakura did a second, discreet glance at those who were present. Kakashi standing beside the desk instead of with them made sense – he was Minato's adviser. Itachi standing there as well was… Her eyes narrowed. When the hell had he been made an adviser and why the hell hadn't he told her? Damn it, she would make sure to beat the answer out of him later.

Who else was there? Kushina was at her husband's other side, but that made sense. Shisui kind of made sense given the fact he was one of Itachi's advisers, but at the same time, didn't. Unless Itachi was actually there on behalf of the clan? Gods, had she jumped to conclusions again?

What really didn't make sense was her squad's presence.

"Firstly, I would like to thank each of you for your involvement in defending Konoha."

But what about the hundreds outside the building? Or the ones who gave up their lives to save the village? Where was their personal thanks? Behind her back, Sakura's fists clenched tightly. She would've rather been thanked while standing alongside her comrades. They fought just as hard as she did. They deserved to be praised by their Hokage, too.

"However, the main reason you're here today is because of your involvement in the Nibi's jinchūriki's death. I believe, as you all contributed in one way or another, you should all be present during the discussion of what shall happen."

Ah. That made more sense. Kind of.

"What do we do once the chakra re-coalesces?" questioned Shisui. "The Nibi will only be gone for so long."

"To keep the peace, I shall meet with the Raikage and see what he proposes we do." Turning in his seat and standing, Minato approached the window, looking out at his broken village with a heavy gaze. "The fact Killer B, his brother, was kept alive will serve as a warning to him. Next time, we will not be so lenient should he choose to go against Konoha again. Sakura-chan." Surprised that she was being addressed directly, she could only stare at him until he glanced her way, asking, "What do you think we should do with the Nibi?"

Why the hell was he asking her? The others looked to her, probably thinking the same and it had her forcing back the urge to duck her head in embarrassment. "In all honesty, Hokage-sama, I'm torn between two minds. The side of me grieving for those we lost demands to keep the Nibi and have someone become its jinchūriki. However, the logical side of me says to use it as a bargaining chip. Form an alliance with Kumo by giving it back to them."

"Showing them they cannot stand against us," Kakashi murmured thoughtfully. "I like it."

"And Kiri?"

"Kiri no longer has any tailed beasts," she added seriously, eyebrows knitting together. "Without an alliance of some sort and without their infamous swordsmen, they're no match for us. If we manage to form an alliance with Kumo, if Kiri knows what's good for them, they won't go against us."

Nodding, Minato leaned back against the windowsill, appearing in deep thought for a few moments as he silently regarded her. It had her fighting the urge to shift in her stance. Fortunately for her, it didn't last long. "I'm interested in your other option, but how would we go about finding a jinchūriki?"

Naruto stepped forward, disapproval clear on his features, but Kushina silenced him with a minute shake of her head, her eyes warning him not to interrupt.

Three jinchūriki in one village could come back to bite them in the ass, Sakura warned herself. Nobody was offering any support of ideas when she looked to them, instead hiding their thoughts as they patiently waited for her response. "I would suggest finding someone with great potential – possibly skilled in fūinjutsu, also. However, I…" Shaking her head, she sighed. "Thinking about it logically, I can't help but worry about whether its truly in Konoha's best interest to have so many jinchūriki."

"Oh?"

Gesturing to Kushina and Naruto, she replied, "We already have two powerful jinchūriki and the other villages believe we're involved with the fake Akatsuki, who were collecting tailed beasts. If we were to add the Nibi to our arsenal, they could view it as a threat, as us preparing to go to war."

"So, you're saying we'd be… too powerful?" Naruto asked unsurely, scratching his whiskered cheek.

Sakura nodded once. "It could lead to all the other hidden villages forming an alliance to take us down."

"Should that happen, we wouldn't stand a chance," Minato agreed. "Then, considering it was within the village the Nibi was defeated, it should be within the village it gathers once more. I shall station ANBU to be on the lookout. After that, we will use it as a bargaining chip like you suggested."

Smiling behind his mask, Kakashi said, "Good thinking, Sakura-chan."

Her cheeks burned at the praise and attention. Was somebody going to fill her in? Was she being clueless? Was she about to be–

Oh, shit. Was she about to be promoted to the official captain of her squad? Was that the real reason they were gathered?

Minato was saved from her demands by the sudden knocking on the door, to which he easily responded for the group to enter. They did so without hesitation, the leader of their team coming to a stop beside her. It was only then that Sakura took note of the band around his arm, signifying him as…

"Godaime Kazekage?" Naruto all but yelled at his friend. "When the hell did that happen?"

Gaara folded his arms over his chest, not sparing them a single glance. "We will catch up after, Naruto."

"But-"

He fell silent at the sound of the sand swirling in the gourd, the memories of his training with Gaara warning him to stay silent, lest he wished to be injured.

"Ah, Gaara-kun. It's good to see you and your siblings again," Minato greeted warmly with a smile, walking around his desk to stand before the redhead. Holding out his hand, he said, "Thank you for coming to Konoha's defence."

It surprised her how Gaara didn't hesitate to shake Minato's hand. "We're allies," was all he replied with.

Sensing eyes on her, Sakura glanced over her shoulder and smiled shyly at Kankuro, though her eyes soon widened as she remembered she'd failed to keep a promise. Seeing that his blatant staring had caught the attention of others, she smiled apologetically. "I completely forgot about the letter. I'm sorry."

He shook his head and looked away, pretending to appear as uncaring. "Forget it."

How was she supposed to forget it when he looked so disgruntled? And when Temari was smirking knowingly? Grimacing, she turned to face him fully. "I'm really sorry." Bowing at the waist, she then said, "Please forgive me."

"You-"

They were all stunned when Kankuro was suddenly thrown across the room, stopping abruptly when he slammed into the wall. It came out of nowhere and she'd only just caught glimpse of the movement by quickly standing out of her bow, eyes going wide.

"G-Gaara," they heard the brunet splutter. "What… the hell?"

For good measure, he was flung to the other side, where he lost consciousness and fell to the ground. The sight of gold speckled sand captured their attention as it retreated to the safety of its gourd.

"His whining has been annoying me for months and now it is interrupting our meeting," Gaara said simply. Then, he stepped forward, speaking directly to the Hokage as he said, "My siblings and I discovered their plans while out on a mission, but we were too late to give Konoha any warnings. Only my team could come to your defence, although Suna has now sent as many shinobi as possible without weakening our own defences to protect Konoha from possible attacks."

"We are extremely grateful," Minato assured him, more than likely sensing the apology hidden behind his words. Smiling once more, he said, "Please come to me if there is anything you or your shinobi need."

Not for the first time, Sakura found herself zoning out of the conversation, since it required no input from her. They were merely discussing the conditions the shinobi from Suna were staying in, and whether they needed anything more. Following on from that, they discussed escorts and temporary rules that they all must abide by – an example of that being a curfew for civilians and genin, which was mainly a precaution. With their defences being pretty low, they had to be wary and ready for anything. Anyone could try and take advantage.

Throughout the meeting, she found herself catching Itachi's gaze and Sakura wanted nothing more than to go to him because he was alive. Her lips were still tingling from their kiss, her heart still ecstatic at his return, her mind still trying to process all that had happened in the past two weeks. Everything was such a mess, but in a beautiful way. She… couldn't believe her luck. For once, the Gods had taken mercy on her. Was it wrong of her to want more time alone with Itachi? Time to just… breathe? To relax? To explore their relationship while they still had the chance?

"Sakura-chan, Itachi-san informed me of your wishes to open a clinic. Is this correct?"

The sudden question had her nodding quickly, heart skipping a beat. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

Noticing the questioning expressions surrounding them, he gestured to the other occupants, ordering her, "Give a brief summary of what the clinic will offer."

Did he want her to sell it to them? Holding back her frown, she stood up straighter, speaking with an air of authority as she told them all, "The clinic will focus on children who have been caught up in our lifestyle. Going off an experience of my own as an example: it's no secret that I struggled with the death of my friend, Yamanaka Ino. It's no secret that many others were greatly affected, either. And to this day, we struggle coming to terms with her death and dealing with it healthily."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Temari frown minutely, head tilting away from Sakura for a brief moment before her resolve grew. When Temari looked back at her, her expression was one of determination and pride. Perhaps even gratefulness. She knew how badly Ino's death affected Shikamaru, the man she'd grown to love.

"While I'm in no way complaining about the help I received from family and friends, I believe I would have benefited from professional support – therapy," she continued and met Minato's gaze steadily, adding, "I want to help the children, the future of Konoha and set an example to other villages."

He nodded once, something warm entering his eyes, but that soon diminished when he warned her, "At this moment in time, Konoha doesn't have the budget to open a new clinic-"

"The Uchiha Clan will fund the clinic," Itachi stated. "There are many children in my clan who recently lost family members and friends, many of them awakening their sharingan because of their grief. I would like for them to find healthy outlets to keep them from falling onto the wrong path."

Sakura almost missed the discreet elbow that jabbed Gaara in the side, leading him to sigh and say, "If Konoha – no, if Haruno is open to sharing treatments and knowledge with Suna, we would be happy to fund her dream, also."

"You'd like a clinic in Suna, too?" Naruto asked with a grin.

He nodded, replying simply with, "The next generation is the future of the village."

Turning back to Minato, she found herself grinning at him, her heart feeling lighter than it had in years. Hope. Opening her clinic brought her great hope for the future of Konoha and, if Gaara was true to his word, the children of Suna, too.

"Sakura-chan?"

Pausing in leaving the office, she shared a quick, questioning glance with Itachi, who'd also stopped. He offered no answers, however. "Yes, Hokage-sama?"

He sat down at his desk, which he'd ignored throughout the meeting so that he could stand with them like they were equals – something she respected massively. "Please stay behind. There is something I must discuss with you."

It confused her to see the recognition in Itachi's eyes. The confusion grew when he smirked down at her and walked out, telling her quietly, "I will find you after, Sakura."

The others seemed confused as they left, though both Kakashi and Kushina had the same knowing gleam in their eyes that had her worrying about why Minato wanted to speak with her alone. Maybe she was right earlier? Maybe she was being promoted to captain? There was a small smile on Minato's face as she returned to her earlier position, standing before her Hokage with mixed feelings. While she felt she'd earned the promotion to captain, she still felt unprepared for the role. There was still so much she had yet to learn.

His office wasn't in the best condition, but ANBU had done a damn good job in protecting it and the Hokage during the ambush. It had to be the second least touched building in all of Konoha – the hospital taking first place, much to her happiness. The medics deserved to be proud of themselves for protecting the hospital, she silently told herself. Without them, without their support and determination to protect both the patients and their hospital, they would have lost it all.

Like he could sense where her thoughts were drifting to, Minato's smile warmed. "I wanted to thank you personally for protecting the injured so relentlessly."

"I couldn't have done it alone," she responded swiftly. "Tsunade-sama and the other medics played a big part in protecting the hospital. The patients wouldn't have been evacuated if it weren't-"

"Sakura-chan," he chided with a chuckle. "Accept the praise."

She nodded quickly, blushing. Gods, why was she suddenly so nervous? Her palms were growing sweaty, but drying them on her skirt would be improper. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"While your humble words about the teamwork showed between the medics are true, it wouldn't have worked out so well without you leading them." Her blush deepened. She was about to be promoted. She could feel it in her rapidly beating heart, excitement growing despite her nerves. "Tsunade-sama herself stated that she's astounded by the development in not only your strength, but in your personality – in yourself as a whole."

Her shishou had said that? Unable to stop herself from smiling, she did so, though did her best to keep it small to try and remain serious. Damn it, she was so happy to hear not only the Hokage praising her, but her shishou, too. It'd taken many years, but she'd earned their respect and praise.

Growing serious, he added, "Kushina has also told me of your determination to save Naruto. For that, I can never repay you. Not only have you saved the lives of so many villagers, including my former student, but you saved my son, too. Thank you, Sakura-chan."

"It's my ninja way," she replied quietly, excitement dying down at the reminder of how close she came to losing everyone. "I'll always protect everyone to the best of my abilities."

He smiled at that, blue eyes warming. "Speaking of Naruto: he informed me of your relationship with Uchiha Itachi-san. Is this true?"

The excitement vanished completely and she refrained from frowning. Since when did relationships involve the Hokage? He was supposed to protect their village and lead them, not get involved in personal matters such as those. "It is, Hokage-sama," replied Sakura evenly, hands clenching into fists behind her back.

His smile dimmed, but didn't lose any of its warmth. "Then I offer you my congratulations. You have both shown great teamwork since you joined his team, so perhaps that teamwork will mean for a just as great relationship and life together."

…What? "Hokage-sama?"

"This does mean, however, that you can never be on the same team as Itachi-san," stated Minato apologetically. "At least, he cannot be your captain, or you his, while on a mission should you both be assigned to one together."

She nodded, already understanding that. It was the first thing to occur to her when they made it official. "I understand, Hokage-sama."

"But that doesn't matter."

"Excuse me?"

The previous smile returned, taking years off his face and as though he could sense what Sakura was thinking, he told her, "I am not getting any younger, Sakura-chan." She remained silent. How could he say that when he looked as young as ever? "The elders have told me that it is time I start to think about my successor."

Her heart swelled. "Is it Naruto? Or Obito-san?" she gushed, eyes going wide and a large smile spread across her face. "They're going to be so happy to hear about this!"

His sheepish expression stopped her from saying more. "Actually, Sakura-chan, it's you. I have decided that you are to be my successor."

"…Eh?"

Minato chuckled and sat back in his seat, seeming at complete ease. "Your growth since joining ANBU has been phenomenal, Sakura-chan. You have become a fine leader and because you have followed closely in Itachi-san's footsteps, according to him, at least, you have learned to see the world in the same way as he does – like a Hokage."

"Then make him your successor," she found herself snapping. In her chest, her heart was pounding and Sakura was pretty certain that she was sweating. How the hell could he have come to such a stupid decision? Didn't he care about the village at all? Had Kushina punched him over the head? She was only supposed to be getting promoted to an ANBU captain, damn it. "Itachi will be a much better Hokage than I could ever be."

"Having Itachi-san become Hokage would be very beneficial, I agree. It would possibly stop any further hatred brewing in the Uchiha Clan and calm all negativity."

"So why me?" demanded Sakura, dropping her arms by her sides, her fists clenching once again. "Why are you choosing me?"

This time, the smile disappeared completely and Minato sighed. "I won't lie to you. I have considered it. Itachi-san is an extraordinarily talented shinobi, but it is because of this that he needs to remain on the front lines." And not stuck behind a desk, they both thought at the same time. "However, despite this, I have already asked Itachi-san to become one of my trusted advisers."

Oh… "Meaning he'd become one of mine, too. Like Kushina-sama is yours."

He nodded once. "Kushina… She has always wished to be Hokage, even if she no longer mentions it. It has always been her dream and that didn't change, not even when the others at the Academy turned their backs on her or picked on her."

Wait. People tried to pick on someone like Kushina? Were they mentally deficient? Who the hell would be stupid enough to try that?

"Of course, she put them all in their places." Minato smirked. "But it also made her realise how difficult it would be for her to become Hokage – she was not born in the village and only came here to become a jinchūriki." Sakura's eyes widened. She hadn't known that. "You see, Sakura-chan, it may not be exactly the same, but Itachi-san will face the same difficulty. Nobody would ever accept an Uchiha as Hokage – that goes for Obito, too, despite how far out of his way he goes for our villagers. Especially after his recent actions. People fear the Uchiha Clan, as you already know." Reluctantly, she nodded. "They will not loyally or willingly follow a leader they fear and don't trust."

Sakura looked away, trying to smother her anger. She would have followed Obito or Itachi loyally. She would have put her life on the line and died to protect them and their village. Surely there were others who felt the same way as herself? It wasn't that there weren't, because there were. Just not enough to actually mean something. The majority of the village would despise their leader. It could cause a divide within the village. Could cause civil war.

"However, there is no way of knowing if they would feel the same if someone married into the Uchiha Clan after becoming Hokage. Moreover, they trust you, Sakura-chan. They have seen you fight for our village and exhaust yourself completely to heal them. They have seen your passion, your fierce determination and even your terrifying anger."

She deadpanned at the backhanded comment, unable to take everything in. One thing that stood out to her, however, was how he was still trying to find some kind of loop hole. People wouldn't follow a member of the Uchiha Clan, no matter how kind-hearted that individual was. However, by becoming the Hokage as a Haruno and later becoming an Uchiha, there was no reason for them to despise her… right? There would surely be flaws in that plan, but it only went to prove to her that Minato was still trying so hard to include the Uchiha Clan with village matters. He didn't want anybody to be ostracised.

Minato smiled. "They would follow you without hesitation, Sakura-chan. You are a leader they can trust one hundred percent."

"But…" Sakura met his eyes, trying to share her own fear of such a huge position. "What if I mess up?"

"I will still be here," he told her soothingly. "You will also have your advisers and your teams – both of them – to support you. You have risen to countless challenges in the past and astounded us all by not only breaking through the glass ceiling, but by demolishing the room trying to cage you." He smiled again, this time proudly. "I know you will continue to amaze us as our Godaime Hokage."

Eyes falling to the ground, she gave a small smile.

Hokage…

Are you still watching, Ino? Are you proud? I did it. I blossomed and everyone can see it, just like you said they would.

A new council.

Tapping the pencil to her lips, her eyes stared at the words, hoping that simply seeing them would help her figure out how the hell she was going to do it. There was something nagging at the back of her mind, warning her to replace the current council, for the elders weren't to be trusted. While Sakura knew about Danzo and his original plans for the Uchiha Clan, she wasn't too sure about the other two, though knew they hadn't been totally against his plans.

What she wanted was a change for the village – something for them all to be proud of, something that brought them closer together. But how did she do that? Minato had tried so hard to keep everyone happy.

Homura and Koharu – retire.

But what then? After they'd retired, what was she supposed to do? Sakura had her advisers already – Kakashi, Itachi and Shisui. The elders would loathe the idea of her advisers being two members of the Uchiha Clan, especially since she was marrying one of them eventually, but–

A way to include everyone.

Green eyes going wide, she scribbled down every clan she could think of in the village. No more ostracising. No more unnecessary hatred towards the clans – it only bred more hatred. If each clan head was involved in decisions that'd affect the village, then… Gods, what was that thought? What was just out of her reach? It didn't matter. If her council consisted of the head of the clans, then nobody would be left out. No clans would think they didn't matter to the village. Their input, their opinions, were valued.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

Standing from the dining table, Sakura shut her notebook, offering a shy smile. "Just making a list of some of the things I need to do," she told him.

Itachi sat down on the sofa, his picture of relaxation making her smile widen. He looked so at peace there, looked like he belonged there and it warmed her heart. It made her so happy. He was alive. "Concerning the clinic for children?"

"That and other things." Running her fingers over the notebook, she asked, "What happened with ROOT, anyway? I didn't want to ask Hokage-sama about something like that in front of everyone. It's highly classified, right?"

Sighing, Itachi stretched his legs out comfortably. "The man who took over Danzo's position as leader was defeated by Hokage-sama and most ROOT operatives were defeated."

That sounded way too easy. Leaning back against the dining table, Sakura frowned at him. She understood that it was highly classified information, but… Well, she had every right to know now, right? Now that she was going to become Hokage, shortly followed by the Uchiha Clan's matriarch. They had to get used to her involvement.

"And that's it?" she challenged, green eyes narrowing fractionally.

"Anyone who survived is currently being interrogated," came his tired answer. "However, Sakura…" At his pause, she felt her stomach drop. "It has already been confirmed that it was ROOT who killed Sai."

She leaned more heavily against the table and tilted her head back, staring up at the ceiling. It took a few moments to remain calm, to keep composure. "Did they say why they…?"

Itachi made no move to approach her and for that, she was grateful. While the comfort was welcomed, she didn't need babying. She had to work on hearing bad news and waiting until she was alone to react to it. There would be way too many people relying on her now.

He nodded. "Sai refused take sides."

"So they took that as him going AWOL and killed him."

"Yes."

Thank you, friend.

Glancing to the picture he'd created for Ino's altar, Sakura felt her heart break. Was that what his final words in the sketchbook meant? What had he been thanking her for? For showing him a different path? Showing him that it was okay to feel? Showing him that he could be in control of his own life and actions? For being his friend?

"Come, Sakura," Itachi ordered gently, offering a small smile at her slow approach. "Do not allow this to hold you back. Sai knew the price he would pay for going against ROOT, yet he went through with his choice. He didn't want to see the suffering of those he'd come to care for."

She nodded, then sighed at the feeling of Itachi's hands on her hips, his forehead pressing to her stomach once he was sat up straight. "I wish he came to us. Maybe we could've helped-"

"Sakura," he murmured patiently, pressing a single kiss to her stomach. "Do not stress yourself out over this. There was nothing either of us could have done to prevent what happened – somehow, someway, they would have found an opening."

He was right. So painfully right. Sitting down on her sofa beside her boyfriend, she took a deep breath and leaned forward, filling two cups with the sake given to them by Tsunade, who was currently going through Sakura's ideas for the clinic in a bar down the street. She'd wanted to give them some privacy on top of finding ways to help make Sakura's dream become a reality.

"To new beginnings." Sakura raised her sake dish, tipping it towards Itachi with a small smile.

He nodded once and after he copied the movement, the two dishes clinked softly. "New beginnings." A small smirk curved his lips, eyes showing his pride. He'd always been able to see her potential, even if she couldn't. "Hokage-sama."

THE END

A/N - ...I'm still in shock that it's over. It's been a long 3-4 years writing this story, with it being on here almost 3 of those years now. I struggled immensely with certain chapters, which I'll hopefully go back to one day to try and smooth them out - make the story flow more easily, in a way.

I don't even know what to say at this point hahah. For some reason, I got really emotional writing the final chapter and I've been putting off posting it, too. But it's definitely a weight off my shoulders - again, it wasn't easy continuing this story. Can you believe in the beginning that I had no idea where this would go? I started it with a vague plan of it ending at around chapter 25. I wasn't going to include time travel or anything like that, because I honestly didn't think I could do it. I didn't want to destroy the mystery of it but at the same time, I didn't want to not explain everything, either. In the end, I chose to stick with mystery, mainly because I have no fucking idea why or how the other Itachi came to this timeline. Then again, he's Uchiha Itachi. He'll do what he wants.

The response to this story has been amazing and I'm so glad you all stuck around to see the ending. Over 1300 reviews? Insane. I never would've thought any of my stories would gain so much attention and I can't express how grateful I am for all of you who support me and my stories.

A few of you told me you'd be interested in my own stories (own characters, own universe, etc) and I'm happy to inform you all that I'm in the process of writing a horror/supernatural story for my dissertation and it's about Aokigahara. For now, I'm going to keep the details to myself, but basically once everything's been marked, I can do whatever I want with my work, so I'm thinking of trying to get it published once that's out of the way. What do you all think? And what do you suggest I do to try and get better advertisement for it? Should I use my real name, or a pseudonym?

I've recently been getting into reading fanfictions again now that I have a little bit of time to myself and after telling people that, they've been asking me for recommendations, leading me to the idea of starting a review blog. Or is that a bit too much? Hm...

Again, thank you to everyone who has supported me and this story. For the time being, I'm not going to post a third story, as I think I should focus on the two that are already on-going (sorry for the STIL fans - I'm really struggling with writer's block for that particular story). However, I have plenty of stories begging to see the light of day, so keep an eye out for them. There's loads of different pairings: ItaSaku, KakaSaku, ShisSaku (or is it ShiSaku?), SasuSaku, GaaSaku. I'm even thinking of writing a few more DBZ stories.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed Saviour as much as I enjoyed writing it. Right now, I have no plans in creating a sequel, but if there's enough interest, perhaps I'll write a one-shot that'll show them in like, I don't know, ten years into the future?

Remember to watch my other stories!