~Yume~

When I dream, I see a million stars in a sea of night. I'm falling and they fly by. I want to reach out and catch one but someone is holding my hand and I can't. They dance around me like fireflies and a gentle breeze embraces me like a lover. I'm falling but I'm not afraid. Because I know that when I land, I will find him. That man. The one who has always been there…waiting for me.

First Dream

Dim sunlight shines weakly through the sheer curtains in Sakura's room. The sun was just over the horizon and the birds outside were just beginning to sing. Sakura was still trapped in the grip of the half world we call dreams. Shadows danced behind her closed eyelids as a familiar tale of fire and blood was created in her mind and like always, when Sakura's alarm went off to interrupt her slumber, Sakura could not remember anything.

Bright emerald eyes snapped open at the sound of the first harsh cry that was Sakuras alarm. She sat up in bed and rubbed her forehead with a sigh. Since she was a child Sakura could never remember her dreams. Not one, not the nightmares, not the fantasy dreams of flying over the clouds like a bird that everyone had at least once in their life, none. Mechanically she reached over and hit the snooze button on her alarm to halt the noise it made.

Shoving back her blankets Sakura stretched with a large yawn getting the kinks out of her back. She swung herself out of bed and made her way through the daily process she had of getting ready for school. Scrubbing her face with ice-cold water completed the waking up process and she gasped at the shock of the chill it left behind. Patting her skin dry Sakura peered at her reflection in the mirror. Pale skin with green eyes off set by pastel pink hair made her unique if not exotic among the natives of Japan.

Fairy blood her grandmother would say with a chuckle whenever Sakura came home after school in tears as a young child. It was an explanation that would sooth a small girls heart, even make her smile with the romance of the idea but as she grew up it became a bit of an off the cuff explanation whenever someone would ask about her hair. Nothing to be taken seriously, just a shrug and a smile and they would forget they even asked.

She wasn't a beauty, not by a long shot, but Sakura supposed she was pretty enough. She didn't really care to be honest. Years of ruthless teasing by her peers cured her of any vanity she might have developed growing into adolescence then into young adulthood. She preferred sports to shopping and dressed comfortably rather than trendy.

Sakura pulled on a pair of simple dark blue skinny jeans and a light blue tank top with a sheer blouse left unbuttoned over that before heading down to the kitchen. Her parents had already left for work, both being doctors they worked odd shifts.

"Hey grandma," Sakura greeted the framed picture on the table by the phone. Her grandmother died some years ago and Sakura still felt the loss, especially when she was feeling down about school, her lack a social life etc.

"I had dream Gran," She said with a smile as she pulled out a bowl from the windowed cupboards and then went to find the cereal. "Of course I have no idea what it was about but for the first time I remember the general feeling. Weird huh? For seventeen years nadda and now I get feelings?" She paused as if she almost expected her grandmother to answer. She poured the milk and put it away in the fridge and began to eat. Between bites she continued, "It wasn't exactly a happy experience either to be honest. It wasn't a nice dream, kind of scary now that I think about it. I wonder if there was fighting?" she thought for a while, exploring this new aspect to her life then shrugged, deciding it didn't matter. Without context, the exploration of half remembered feelings were useless.

Sakura finished the cereal and turned to rinse it in the sink, she continued chatting to her deceased grandmothers photo as she got the bowl clean and began rinsing the dishes her parents had left behind from their early morning breakfasts. She went on about her school and her friend's latest exploits. Hinata still too shy to talk to her crush or even be in the same room as the noisy blond, Temaris' new boyfriend Shikamaru.

"I don't know how those two got together in the first place." She said with a grin and she began putting the clean dishes away in the cupboard, "Temari's so loud and Shikamaru loves silence, I can't see how they could possibly-" Sakura cut herself of as she closed the cupboard door and gasped. The silhouette of a man hunched over and in obvious pain was leaning against the kitchen doorframe. Sakura spun around, to face the intruder; a scream stuck in her throat and saw no one there.

"What?" She whispered, looking around wildly. She looked back into the glass in the cupboard and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Again she looked over to the doorway and slowly walked through into the hallway. She looked both ways and still saw nothing. Slowly Sakura walked through the house searching for the injured man but couldn't find any evidence that she wasn't alone.

"What in the world?" She asked herself resting a hand on her forehead. She glanced at the clock back in the kitchen and cursed. She was going to be late for school. She ran back up into her room grabbed her backpack and raced out of the house, slipping flats on before she left.

"See ya Gran, watch the house for me!" She called to the still picture and locked the door; she began running the six blocks to school.

Back in the house, in the kitchen by the phone, a shadow flitted across the glass covering the grandmothers smiling face. When it faded away the grandmothers' eyes looked the slightest bit sad.

Sakura sat at her desk, placing her head on the linoleum surface and let out heavy sigh. She had just made it and the bell yet to ring. Beside her sat her best friend Temari, the blond was grinning at her. Sakura looked over and questioned with her eyes.

"This is rare," Temari said with a wicked gleam in her eyes, "Haruno Sakura late for class."
"I'm hardly late Temari," Sakura replied lifting her head up as the bell rang.

"By this skin of your teeth my dear." The girl told her with a sniff, "It's still rare. You're usually here at least twenty minutes before class. What held you up?"

"My parents didn't clean the dishes." Sakura said as she pulled out her books for the first class. Temari rolled her eyes.

"Like that takes five minutes," she said sarcastically. Sakura shrugged and the teacher came into the classroom cutting their conversation short much to her relief. She wasn't sure how to it explain to Temari, that what had made her late was a mystery shadow she couldn't find? Temari would think that the pressure of so many advanced classes was finally getting to Sakura and she was losing her marbles.

"Okay class, open your books to page 147 and begin with problems two through ten." The teacher began and Sakura shook her head to clear it and began working on the problems assigned.

"Are you alright Sakura?" Hinatas' quiet voice broke through Sakuras contemplative mood.

"Huh?" Sakura snapped out of the trance she had been in during free period that afternoon.

"I asked if you were alright." Hinata repeated patiently. The violet haired girl eyed her friends' unusually inattentive mood. Sakura had been staring off into space rather than reading the text book laid out in front of her and her pen remained laying unused on her pad of paper, free of notes.

"Oh, yeah." Sakura replied blinking suddenly, "I was just thinking about something."

"A boy?" Temari teased from across the table the trio was studying at. Sakura glared at her in mock annoyance and shook her head.

"No, just…thinking." Sakura said slowly not sure what to say.

"What about?" Hinata asked turning a page in her English novel she was to read for language class.

"Nothing really," Sakura shrugged, "just things."

"That doesn't tell me anything." Temari retorted placing her head in her hand with the elbow resting on the table.

"It wasn't supposed to." Sakura replied sweetly. Temari huffed in indignation and Hinata giggled at her friends' antics.

The wind picked up and cooled the trio as the studied at the table under a tree in the schools courtyard. It was late September but the weather was still quite warm with the leaves on the large ancient tree still bright green with the faintest hint of turning orange and gold with the coming fall. Around them groups of students loitered around enjoying the last of summers' warmth. Some girls were lying there soaking up the rays and off on the other side of the courtyard some boys were horsing around. But even on this lovely day Sakura's mind kept drifting back to that shadow in the reflection. She couldn't write it off as a figment of her imagination, no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise. The timing was a little strange as well. It happened just after she had spoken of her residual feelings from her dream. Sure she had moved on to another subject but she couldn't help but feel that the two were connected. She shivered suddenly and did her best to focus on her math homework hoping that her friends didn't notice.

"Hey Hinata," Temari said a few minutes later as the boys got louder, or more specifically, one of the boys voices got louder, "isn't that Naruto over there?" she asked her neck craning as she peered over Sakuras head. Hinata turned beet red as she flushed. Hesitantly Hinata checked over her shoulder towards the boys and Sakura gave up on studying and merely placed her head in her hand and watched her friend flinch a little when her eyes met the cerulean blues of her crush. Hinata whipped around and placed her hands over her flaming cheeks to either cool them down or hide them. Maybe both, Sakura figured with a raised brow. Temari cackled evilly at Hinata's reaction.

"Still can't talk to him?" Sakura asked Hinata kindly. Silently the girl shook her head no and Temari laughed even more. Sakura shot Temari a look as if to say 'shut up' and Temari fought to compose her face into a serious, concerned look and barley succeeded.

"I-I don't know how," Hinata whispered with a small stutter, "when ever I get near him I just get tongue tied and my mind goes blank. I have no idea what to say."

"Better than fainting on the spot like you used to." Temari remarked with a grin. Hinata flushed again and Sakura shot Temari another look.

"Well I suggest you think fast cause here comes lover boy now." Temari continued. Hinata looked mortified and Sakura turned around and sure enough Naruto was making his way over to the three of them, his sun bleached hair gleaming.

"You'll be fine." Sakura murmured to her friend. Hinata nodded her face pale and she turned as well as Naruto called out in greeting.

"Hello girls," He said with his signature grin.

"Hey brat." Temari replied lazily. Sakura closed her eyes and sighed as Hinata tensed up beside her. Sometimes she really wanted to strangle her best friend. Thankfully Naruto decided to ignore Temaris' jibe.

"Hey Sakura, Hinata." He said instead.

"Hi Naruto." Sakura greeted and Hinata merely nodded her head, avoiding eye contact.

"Ew studying?" Naruto made a face, "Come on girls, the school year has barley started!"

"And yet I believe you're already behind in Language class?" Sakura said with a sudden idea popping in her head. Naruto shrugged.

"I just don't get English." He said with a huff, "My dad is really riding me about it though, 'You can't get by in this world with out English kid,' or something like that."

"Well," Sakura continued, pausing for effect as if she was thinking. Temari shot her a suspicious look, "Hinata here is practically fluent in English. It's her best subject." Hinata flushed and refused to meet anyone's eyes as Naruto looked at her surprise.

"Really?" He asked a light in his eyes. Hinata couldn't speak but nodded her head. A smile broke out on the blonds face, "Can you help me?" He asked Hinata. Hinata looked up in surprise, she looked at Sakura then at Temari who was grinning now that he got Sakura's plan.

"She'd love to." Sakura replied for her friend. Hinata looked back at Sakura in alarm.

"Awesome!" Naruto cheered, "Thanks Hinata I owe you a bunch!" The bell rang. "Ah! Gotta go. I'll talk to you later Hinata!" he said as he began running off towards the building.

"Bye," Hinata whispered then turned to glare at Sakura who just smiled back. Temari was grinning again. "What were you thinking Sakura?" She exclaimed. Sakura chuckled as she began placing her books back in her bag to get ready for her next class.

"I wasn't thinking anything Hinata." Sakura replied, "I was just giving you a little push."

"But you know I can't say anything to him!" Hinata said, her voice slightly panicked.

"That's the point!" Sakura replied as they stood to leave. "He will ask you questions about a subject you know back to front. You won't have to think about anything to say conversation wise. Just share you're knowledge and use this opportunity to get used to being around him and get comfortable." She smiled at her friend.

"Besides," Temari added as the approached the building, "Naruto talks enough for three people, and you won't have to say much if anything at all." Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Think of it as practice for when you become a teacher." Sakura finished to cinch the deal. Hinata nodded and finally a small shaky smile appeared on her face.

"Thanks guys." She said at last.

"No problem," Temari said slinging her arm over Hinata's shoulder, "Now we just got to work on that first date!" Hinata sputtered in surprise and Sakura laughed. Her attention was drawn to the reflection of the big tree in the window of a ground floor classroom and her laughter died, her smile slipping from her face. A man was standing next to the tree, a non-existent wind lifting a cloak high into the air. He wasn't looking at her but rather out towards the emptying courtyard. Fire orange and black smoke blanketed the sky in place of the sunny blue that soared above the girls. Sakura blinked and the image was gone. She felt the blood drain from her face.

"Sakura come on!" Temari called over her shoulder when she noticed their pink haired friend wasn't with them. "I know you hate history class but we're going to get yelled at all the same if we're late!"

"Yeah," Sakura called back not taking her eyes off the window, "I'll be right there." Reluctantly she tore her eyes away and ran to catch up with her friends.

That night at home Sakura sat in her room going over that weeks notes. Thank goodness tomorrow was Friday, history class had been murder. They had begun a new unit about the feudal warring states. Sakura would have nodded off in class if she hadn't had Temari sitting behind her to give her a discrete poke in the back whenever she noticed her pink haired friends head begin to droop.

'Why would I ever need to know this stuff?' Sakura asked herself for the hundredth time. 'This happened so long ago it has nothing to do with me.'

Sakura could practically hear her history teachers favorite cure for a complaining student, 'Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it.'

"Right," Sakura muttered and closed the large history textbook she had barley cracked open not ten minutes ago. An essay due in two weeks lay unwritten on her desk as she yawned. Sakura glanced at the clock made a noise of surprise. It was nearing one in the morning. No wonder she was tired. She had to get up early the next morning again and as it was she was going to be in no shape for gym class. Sakura groaned as she stood from her desk and crawled under the blankets. The reached over, made sure her alarm was set and turned off the light, settling down into nights embrace.

End of Chapter

AN:

Welcome new readers and old to my next series. I seem to only write SasuSaku stories don't I? meh.

I'll explain the title. Yume is the Japanese word for Dream. That's all there really is to say about it for now without giving to much away but I will say that the title is very relevant to the story so think about that and let your imaginations run wild.

Thanks a bunch people for reading this far and thanks for reading the first chapter of Yume.