Summary: Death gave Jean a choice; go back to the X-Men or start a new life. Jean chose the one that burned brighter. Jean-is-Sakura

Unbeta'ed

Shades of a Flame

Chapter Two

Hide and Seek

"One," Sakura begins, covering her eyes with her small, stubby fingers. "Two. Three."

While she counts, Sakura is stabbed by heat, leaves acting as a poor barrier between her and the sun. The soft breeze does not help her either, as every slight brush against the trees allows more and more rays to prick her skin. She must look like an apple. Sakura tries to contain a giggle at the thought. A cute apple, her father would say, while placing ointment over her burns. Sakura would wince at the touch with tears building at the corners of her eyes, but she is a big girl so she could handle the pain. Or would tell herself this. Sometimes, after the ointment has dried, Sakura would wonder how ninjas handle the pain of being hurt. They must not cry over sunburns being as strong as they are.

But Sakura understands the dangers of having a pale complexion like hers. How could she forget with her mother always reminding her to wear sunscreen before leaving the house? Sakura's heart raced at the thought of returning home, knowing if she gets caught, she will not hear the end of it. The prettiest ladies have untarnished skin, her mother would constantly tell her. Rather than argue, Sakura would nod her head in agreement, a lesson she has learnt from her parents' fights. Still, even with protection, blood rushes to the uncovered parts of her body and transforms it into a blotchy red. Even now, Sakura's palms can feel the heat of her cheeks. The extra warmth causes dribbles of sweat to crawl down the lines of her sharp smile or pool between the creases of her fingers. Despite the uncomfortable feeling, Sakura continues to play.

"Four," she yells out. "Five. Six."

She makes the conscious decision to count slowly. Each number rolling off her tongue at the same speed it takes ice to melt in a cool room. Hopefully, this will help Naruto find a hiding place soon. She can hear him even now, trying to search for the perfect spot. His inner voice filled with childish glee as the words 'maybe here' or 'this place is better' flows through Sakura's mind. The difference between Naruto's current inner voice when compared to earlier is evident. No longer are there thoughts of palpable loneliness or the strangled sobs he refuses to let out. There is only joy. As a result, Sakura can feel the tension from this morning exit her body, but a dull ache still resides in her chest. She has lost the library, a place of great comfort. She would be lying if she said she would not miss it but seeing Naruto's beaming expression makes the loss worth it. After all, there is always the bookshop.

"Seven. Eight."

A swift gust of wind carries the rustling of shrubs. It brushes against the hem of Sakura's dress before dying down. By the sounds of things, Naruto has found his spot at last. She can tell by the way his inner voice squeals in delight. So much so that it almost spills out of his mouth, but he smothers it down. He does not want to be found so easily. Sakura releases her own high-pitched laugh. Although she does not know what the spot looks like, all Sakura must do is follow his inner voice. She wonders if this is considered cheating. Her mother once told her a tale about a wolf who tried to trick a frog into giving up his home. The wolf had cheated in a game he recommended playing. But the frog knew and fooled the wolf.

That's stupid, was the thought which ran through Sakura's head at the end of the story. Why would a wolf want to live in a frog's home? Would it not be too wet? Or have proper shelter against harsh weathers? Most of all, wouldn't the wolf be too big to live in such a small home? So many questions rested on the tip of her tongue, but she dare not voice them. Not when she knew it would upset her mother. Sakura imagines her mother's blonde hair standing up on ends like snakes waiting to strike whenever she is angry. It's at times like these that Sakura knows to avoid the woman at all costs. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for her father who takes the brunt of her mother's fury like a horseman riding towards the centre of a hurricane.

"Nine," she says with more speed. "Ten. Ready or not, here I come!"

Sakura lowers her hands from her face and a breeze of cool air brushes across her sweat ridden cheeks. Keeping her eyes closed for so long causes her vision to blur as she lifts her lids. She blinks a few times to help them focus. Soon after, she can see again but a large tree obscures her sight. Walking around it, Sakura takes in the view of her hideout. To an adult, the plot of land hidden behind tall bushes would make them feel claustrophobic with the little space available. But to Sakura, it is perfect with its dandelion floor and moss-covered rocks. Plus, there are plenty of spaces to hide from nosy adults who try and investigate the area. It is also the perfect place to hide from her bullies when they arrive in the park. That's the most important part.

Naruto is hiding behind the tree to her far left. His loud inner voice gives him away; it's positively bursting with excitement. So Sakura decides to stroll forward and rummage through a bush.

"Where are you?" Sakura calls out in a musical tune. "I'm going to find you."

Naruto releases a small giggle which Sakura pretends not to hear. She is not like the wolf, Sakura tells herself. She will not let the game end so easily. Not when she wants him to have fun. So she continues to search behind thick trees and shrubs of all sizes, all while avoiding Naruto's area. His inner voice comes alive each time Sakura calls out his name or comes too close to where he is located. He is having fun. This is all Sakura asks for. Soon the memories of this morning will fade away like the remains of a puddle during a hot day. Although, her own thoughts cannot help but return to the images of the fox. The thing looked menacing, standing above the village in the same way her doll dominates her playhouse. But this creature did not wear any painted smiles. It looked angry. So angry that it was willing to destroy everything in its path.

So why does Aiko-san believe the boy is the fox? As far as she knows, Naruto does not have nine tails. Maybe lookalike whiskers by the marks on his cheeks but no tails. He is a human child. Simple as that. This should be Sakura's final answer, but a feeling gnaws in the pit of her stomach. She squashes it down and continues to play the game.

Five minutes must have passed when Sakura decides to sneak up behind Naruto. She can hear him wondering why she is suddenly silent, but Sakura makes no noticeable sounds. Treading lightly, she takes tentative steps forward before pouncing behind his tree. She has got him now. She hears him shift nervously in his spot while questioning if she left him alone. Abandoned him. Played a cruel trick. Sakura's heart aches at this. So much so that she reveals herself.

"Got you!" She cries, while quickly tapping Naruto's arm.

A look of surprise fills his expression before joy takes over.

'She did not leave.' His inner voice is relieved. There is no cruel trick or anything of the sort. She actually wants to play.

Without realising what she is doing, Sakura stands in Naruto's personal space with her arms outstretched. She then pulls him into a crushing hug.

"It's okay," she whispers with care. "I'm not leaving."

Naruto leans into her touch, his own arms wrapping around her.

'Thank you,' his inner voice wobbles out, his own throat too dry to say them.

Sakura tightened her hug in response.

'Fucking brats,' a deep voice sneers.

Sakura freezes.

This voice… It's filled with so much malice that Sakura finds herself struggling to concentrate when Naruto begins to sob. It's not from anyone around them. Sakura cannot hear any inner voices from beyond the shrubs. There is only one possibility. One Sakura cannot believe, but the proof is right in front of her.

After all, she has never met a person with two inner voices.

Author's note:

Hello! Thanks to those who enjoyed the last chapter.

I struggled with this chapter a lot, but it came out okay. Hopefully, you guys liked it.

Please review! I love hearing your thoughts!