Sacred Flower

Here’s the next chapter due to popular demand! Oh, and Sakura will finally wake up now!! YAY!!

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After formulating a plan, they all set out for Sakura. Using Akamaru and a few of Shino’s bugs, they located her quickly. Tamping down their chakra signatures, everyone moved into position.

Sasuke jumped down to the cave entrance and bravely marched in. There was just enough light for him to see Sakura, who was in plain view. Her robe had been ripped up, no doubt Itachi’s doing. All she wore were tattered pieces of the white robe which barely covered her lush breasts and her most private regions.

Black lines adorned her body, keeping her pinned to the cold wall. He ran to her and tried to pry them off, even though he knew it was all for a wasted effort. Itachi, who was hiding in the shadows, was amused with Sasuke’s useless efforts.

“Are you that desperate for a woman to impregnate?” asked a voice. Itachi stepped out of the shadows to reveal himself. “Are you that desperate for a woman to help you revive the clan?”

“You bastard!” Sasuke spat out. “Leave her out of this! This is strictly between you and me. She has nothing to do with this!” Itachi took a few steps forward, causing Sasuke to move a few steps back.

“On the contrary little brother, she has everything to do with this.” Itachi kept moving until he was directly in front of Sakura while Sasuke nearly backed out of the cave. Itachi moved his hand right in front of Sakura’s face and moved it downwards, not quite making contact. A ball of black accumulated around his hands.

‘What is he doing to her?’ Sasuke pondered, infuriated that Itachi is so close to touching her in the one place that Sasuke would never allow another man to touch. After being sure that Itachi’s hand had hovered over every inch of Sakura’s body, he threw the black ball to Sasuke’s feet. It exploded into a liquid with a squelch.

“Be grateful I’m alive Sasuke, for I’ve helped you achieve one of your goals.” Sasuke was about to question him when a movement caught his eye. ‘Sakura…she’s awakening!’ Her eyes fluttered open and her body shook from the gentle breeze flowing through the dark cave.

“What I’ve done was remove all the blood infected with the Kusanagi Coral’s blood,” said Itachi.

“S-Sasuke?” were her first words since the ordeal. Sasuke stared at her with wide eyes. “Sasuke,” she said shakily, “I’m cold. Take me home.”

“Let her go!” Sasuke shouted. “Let her go and fight me!”

Itachi chuckled. His brother’s stubborn attitude will get him killed one day. “All in due time little brother. I believe our darling Sakura has something to say. We’re all ears to hear your big news.”

‘What now? What is she holding back on?’ he pondered. ‘She’s not pregnant…what then?’

“I have nothing to say,” she simply stated. “Are you sure little Sakura? You have nothing to tell to your dear Sasuke?”

Sakura bit her lip. She knew what Itachi was getting at, but he couldn’t know that she can’t have children because of him…could he?

“Hmm…looks like Sakura’s shy. Maybe I should tell him then?” purred Itachi. He was enjoying every second of this. He was slowly torturing them and he absolutely loved it.

‘Tell me what? I want to know!’ he demanded. He had a right to know anything and everything that involves him and he wanted to know what the news was about.

“Maybe I should tell him the entire truth?” Sakura continued to chew off her lip while Sasuke became more frustrated about this ‘important matter’. Turning on his Sharingan, he boldly moved forward.

“What the hell’s so damn important!? Just spit it out!” Itachi smirked. That was the reaction he wanted.

“Well if you must know little brother, Sakura’s-”

“No!” she cut in. “Stop! Please…” Seeing that Sakura begged Itachi to stop, Sasuke knew it was big. “What aren’t you telling me Sakura!?” Tears began to form in her eyes. He could see it with his Sharingan. “Tell me Sakura, what are you hiding from me!?”

Itachi took this as a sign to let the cat outta the bag. “Something that involves the three of us. Are you sure you want to know? Do you really want to break her heart a second time?”

Sasuke didn’t know what to do. If it involved him, he needed to know, but he didn’t want to hurt Sakura in the process. He decided to take his chances. “Tell me. Now,” he demanded.

“NO! Don’t!” Sakura pleaded. Itachi moved his hand to touch Sakura’s cheek. “I’m sorry my little flower, but Sasuke really wanted to know that you are infertile.” That last word echoed in Sasuke’s head. Tears streamed down Sakura’s delicate face.

‘Now he’ll never want me,’ she wept bitterly. ‘He’ll never want me and he’ll throw me away because I can’t give him what he wants.’ Quiet sobs escaped her pale, once rosy, lips. ‘Who would want me now?’

While in utter shock, Itachi took a cheap shot to Sasuke’s shoulder. “You really shouldn’t care for her little brother, although I can see why you want her so badly. She was quite a feisty little thing in bed…for a while,” Itachi stated coldly. He had to laugh at this little game.

“Don’t worry about her. I thought I could use her to fuel your hatred so I would feel the mild thrill of fighting you, but it seems like she clouds your mind. Your emotions for her is what makes you so pathetically weak,” he proclaimed.

Sasuke couldn’t handle his insults any more. “Emotions are what make me strong!” he screamed. He sent out the signal for attack by attacking Itachi with the Chidori. Neji saw it with his Byakugan. He silently ordered everyone to move into positions. ‘Hmm. Now I actually have to try to fight him,’ Itachi mused.

“Shadow Imitation Jutsu!” screamed Shikamaru. He trapped Itachi in his place. Hinata and Ino ran over to Sakura and immediately started healing her if she had any injuries. “Shadow Neck Bind!” he called and held Itachi by the throat, choking him. Itachi, however, kept that cool and calm demeanour that he’s always had. ‘Damn, how many times has this guy looked Death in the face to keep that expression so passive?’

Neji turned on his Byakugan and began raining blows on Itachi, using the Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms. Next, Kiba and Akamaru doubled up and attacked him with their Double Piercing Fang. Itachi had a slight amount of blood spill from the corner of his mouth. With every hit Itachi took, his chakra chain that was pinning Sakura in place became weaker. Before Naruto got to do his Rasengan, Itachi broke Shikamaru’s jutsu and freed himself.

Seeing how they needed help, Ino released her Mind Transfer Jutsu and held him back in place. Everyone hesitated to attack. ‘This is a little off plan. No matter, these pathetic imbeciles will have no chance of beating me.’

“Please, just attack! I…I can’t hold onto him much longer. Just do it!” Nodding, Naruto regenerated his Rasengan and hit Itachi right in the heart. He knew that their attacks were useless and he would leave unscathed. What he didn’t see was Sasuke right behind Naruto with his Chidori. He was not ready for their combined attack.

Both their Rasengan and Chidori left a hole where his heart used to be. Ino escaped from his body just before Naruto made contact. Itachi started choking on his own blood.

‘This…this wasn’t supposed to happen!’ he thought, his blood painting the ground below him crimson red. He looked up to try capturing Sasuke in the Tsukuyomi and he successfully did, making Sasuke feel nothing but torture and pain for what felt like weeks when really, it was only a few seconds.

Choji transformed into his multi-sized version and slammed Itachi into the wall. Lee rained more blows and kicks to him while Tenten used her scroll for more weaponry. Making a few lucky shots, Lee managed to get a shuriken right in his back.

Sasuke tried to stand and speak. “M-my turn…” he grunted out. He was lucky that he didn’t turn into a mindless vegetable, let alone stand or speak. Again, both him and Naruto got the Chidori and the Rasengan and hit Itachi, simultaneously, in the face.

‘No…how could these dimwits beat me…‘ were Itachi’s last thoughts before he nearly disintegrated into nothing.

After the blinding light of their combined attacks died down, everyone wouldn’t have been able to recognize Itachi. He was mutilated beyond recognition and his body donned bruises and wounds. Grey matter splattered all over the walls. Sakura was finally freed from those black chakra chains.

She tried to stand but her leg muscles were limp. She had to lean on Hinata and Ino for stability. Sasuke limped over to Sakura to check if she was okay. Lee beat him to it.

“Oh, my Sakura!” he cried. “My Sakura! Are you alright?” Sakura giggled a little. “Yes Lee, I’m fine.” Sakura was trying her best to cover herself up since Itachi shredded her robe and left her nothing but rags to wear. Hinata handed Sakura over to Sasuke so she’d lean on him. Hinata shed her oversized sweater and offered it to Sakura to wear.

“Here Sakura, you look a little cold in that,” spoke Hinata. Ino helped her get dressed. Sasuke hesitated to ask. “Are…you…Did Itachi…” He couldn’t say it. He started over.

“Okay, we have to get back. We’ll put her in a hospital for a little while.” Before anyone left, Sasuke used his Fireball Jutsu and completely burned Itachi into ashes. ‘There. Now nobody can discover the secrets of the Sharingan.’

Carrying her on his back, he began to make his way back to the village. “Sasuke, can we slow down a little bit?” asked Sakura. Sasuke complied and slowed down a bit so everyone would pass them and they’d be near the back. “Sasuke…do you still love me?” Sasuke didn’t know how to answer her. He did still love her but she couldn’t give him children; something that he needed to restore the clan.

“We’ll talk about it when we get back. Right now, you need to rest,” he replied. Sakura noted that there wasn’t a touch of emotion in his reply. ‘So he doesn’t love me anymore. I’ll just go to his place, get my things and just leave.’

They arrived back at the village, the first place to go was Tsunade’s office. Kicking the door open, Naruto burst in. “HAHA! Look! I brought her back Granny-Hokage! And she woke up too!” Naruto got two smacks in the head: one from Kiba and another from Tsunade.

“What do you mean, you got her back? We did part of the work too!”

“And you shouldn’t be calling me that! I have the power to BAN you from Ichiraku’s!” Naruto was deathly afraid of Tsunade’s threat. She was the Hokage after all, what chance did he have against her?

“So, where is she?” questioned Tsunade. Everybody moved out of the doorway to allow Sasuke with a napping Sakura on his back inside. Tsunade inspected her sleeping form and deemed that she should go to the hospital to check things out.

At the hospital, only Sasuke and the Hokage were admitted into the same room as Sakura while everyone stood outside and chatted for awhile.

“So Sasuke, how did she wake up?” Sasuke growled. He didn’t want to admit it, but it was thanks to Itachi.

“I can’t explain it…I never thought that he’d know a medical jutsu you haven’t learned yet. He just…he glided his hands over her and this black ball started to appear. After he was finished, he threw it at my feet. It was black, but it smelled like blood and said it was her infected blood.”

Tsunade nodded understandingly. ‘So that means the position he left her in is still the same.’

“Umm…I have a question,” Sasuke started shyly, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Is…is Sakura really…infertile?” Tsunade was taken aback with his question. She was sure he already knew.

“How did you find out?” she questioned him. Sasuke looked over to the sleeping Sakura with a little bit of hurt in his onyx eyes. “Itachi told me. Sakura begged him not to say it. Why didn’t she just tell me?”

“She felt ashamed of herself. She thought that if she told you, you’d stop loving her.” Sasuke was deep in thought. ‘So do you still love her?’ asked his inner mind.

‘I…I don’t know.’

‘Do you want to use her for your goals? Doesn’t she mean more to you than a producer of children? Any woman can give you a child but she gave you the sanctity of happiness. Do you really want to throw it all away on a simple fact?’

‘It’s not a simple fact! I want to stay with her…but she can’t help me. She can’t produce children.’

‘So it’s final. You don’t love her anymore.’

‘I never said that.’

‘You shouldn’t have to.’

Sasuke got up. Tsunade was about to question him. “I’m just going out for a walk to clear my mind. I’ll be back in a little bit.” He walked out the door. “One of you guys can go in now.”

“Hey, where are you going!?” exclaimed Naruto. “You should stay here! Sakura needs you!”

Sasuke punched him right in the stomach. “Shut up! She’s resting! Don’t you want a chance to go in and see her!?” Everybody became worried. What happened in that cave to yield this reaction from Sasuke? “Besides, I’m just going on a walk to clear my head.”

Sasuke turned away and walked down the hall and exposed himself to the cool air of the early evening.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- Outside in the hall -:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Only Sasuke and the Hokage were admitted into Sakura’s room. “What do you guys think is wrong with her?” asked Ino.

“Oh, some coma thingy,” replied Naruto, “yeah, from what I’ve learned, she’s infected with something called ‘Blood of the Kusanagi Coral’ and then she collapsed and yeah,” he finished.

“Then…how did she wake up?” inquired Hinata. Naruto shrugged and held his stomach. It had only been few hours and he needed ramen in his tummy --- FAST. “Ramen!” he cried. “I need my darling ramen!”

“Naruto, shut up,” barked Neji, obviously irritated. “Aren’t you the least bit worried about Sakura?”

“Of course I’m worried! I just need something to eat so I don’t die and stop worrying about her!”

“Now now Neji, be a good boy and don't cause a scene,” taunted Tenten. The girls giggled.

“Women are so troublesome,” sighed Shikamaru. “Tenten’s becoming just like my mother; pretty but bossy. She has you whipped Neji.”

Silence was suddenly overwhelmed with roaring laughter. A few doctors and nurses poked their head out of various rooms to see what the ruckus is all about.

“If you don’t be quiet, we’re going to ask you to leave,” said a stern nurse. Everyone shut up.

After the nurse left, everyone began talking again. Choji opened a bag of potato chips and offered a few to Naruto to ease his hunger. They all chatted away without a care in the world like good friends would until Sasuke stepped out.

“One of you guys can go in now.”

“Hey, where are you going? You should stay here! Sakura needs you!” Naruto was hit with a forceful fist.

“Don’t you want a chance to see her? Besides, I’m just going for a walk to clear my head.” He turned away and walked down the hall.

“Sheesh, don’t need to get all huffy about it,” whined Naruto. “Okay, I’m going in first!”

“NO YOU DON’T!” exclaimed the rest.

“Who do you think you are, just rushing in there!?” yelled Ino.

“Oh my Sakura! I will be there in a minute!” called Lee.

“Hey, you don’t get first dibs!” snapped Kiba.

They all clamoured like children when it came to Sakura.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- With Sasuke -:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sasuke went to the bridge where they all became a team: him, Naruto and Sakura. The beautiful sunset was reflected by the water, giving it an orange glow. He sat on the railing, staring at the luminous water, deep in thought.

‘Do you love her as much as much as you say you do?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘So this has all been a waste of time.’

‘No it isn’t!’

‘Then answer my question: do you still love her?’

“Why aren’t you with Sakura?” asked a voice. Sasuke turned around to see that it was just Kakashi.

“I just needed to clear my head about something,” replied Sasuke, turning his gaze back to the river.

“Does it have something to do with her infertility?” Sasuke remained silent. Kakashi leaned on the railing. After a few moments of silence, Kakashi began to speak.

“Sasuke, I know it’s hard to accept the fact that she can’t give you children, but it’s nothing to break her heart over.” Kakashi waited a minute before he continued.

“If you found a woman who would and could give you children, then what? Will you love her the way you did with Sakura? She’s given you nothing but love…are you going to push her away?” Sasuke stayed silent, obviously deciding his next move.

“I just thought that I’d give you something to think about,” Kakashi said and then he disappeared.

‘He’s right and you know it.’

‘I know that.’

‘So what will you do now?’

Sasuke spent half of the night sitting on the railing, watching the river turn from a glowing orange to a luminous white. The moon’s reflection beckoned him to return to Sakura but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to return until he came up with his next move. He just didn’t know what to do.

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Sakura woke up a little while after Sasuke left. The sky was dark with twinkling stars and the moon, so full and white.

“Good evening Sakura,” greeted Tsunade. Sakura turned her attention from the window to her visitors: the Hokage and Naruto.

“Hi Sakura! Everybody else wanted to see you but they went home,” greeted Naruto. She smiled and tried to hide her emotions but they both knew she felt hurt. Sasuke wasn’t there to greet her.

“Don’t worry about Sasuke, he’ll be back,” assured Naruto. To be honest, he wasn’t sure if Sasuke would be back. Sakura tried to sit up.

“Sakura, you should lie down and rest,” advised Tsunade. “No, I’m fine,” replied Sakura. She couldn’t fight the loneliness threatening to swallow her whole.

‘Sasuke knows now…I’m sure he doesn’t love me anymore.’

‘Chaa! Don’t give up so easily! Fight for his love!’ instructed Inner Sakura.

‘If only I was as rock-headed as you are,’ she bitterly thought. She knew Sasuke didn’t want her, what man would? Itachi took away her femininity, her chances of having children and now she was nothing more than a hollow shell.

“Sakura,” said Tsunade, breaking her train of thought, “you’re discharged but seeing that Sasuke isn’t here, you can stay here until he arrives or I’ll take you home.”

Sasuke thought carefully about the choices presented to her. “Can I stay here for the night?” she tentatively asked. Tsunade gave her a warm smile. “Sure.”

Sakura was tucked in and kissed on the forehead by Naruto. “Good night Sakura,” whispered Naruto, “don’t let the bedbugs bite,” he playfully added. Sakura giggled and waved goodbye to them before Tsunade turned out the lights except the lamp on the table. Unknown to her, Sakura would dream something that she’d been dreading since she found out of her infertility.

On the way out, Tsunade stopped by the receptionist. “If Sasuke Uchiha demands entrance, grant it please.” The receptionist nodded and wrote it down. Tsunade finally exited the hospital.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- Sakura’s Dream -:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

“Sasuke, what are you doing?” Sakura was trapped by none other than Sasuke himself. “Why are you holding that knife?”

“Heh, you shouldn’t be worried about it. It’s just the inevitable,” he replied coldly. He inched towards her and punched her swiftly in the stomach before he held her throat high in the air using the Body Flicker Jutsu.

“Sasuke…” she choked out, “why are you doing this? D-don’t you…love me?”

Sasuke scoffed. “How could I love a useless woman? You can’t bear me children, you mean nothing to me.”

“No,” she managed to say, “that’s not true. You love me.”

“You mean I loved you,” he smirked. He raised the knife to her abdomen.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she spat out. Tears fell down her cheeks and he grinned even more.

“You are useless. No man will want you now so what difference does it make if you die? If you live, all you have to look forward to is death and I'm simply the messenger.”

She could feel the blade through her clothes. “Please, stop,” she begged him.

“Your pleas are nothing to me,” he said icily and he slashed through her clothes, piercing her skin. He released his hold on her throat and let her drop at his feet. He raised the knife over his head in an obvious show of a stabbing motion through her heart.

“Please don’t,” she begged him again. Sasuke paused, but only to laugh at her pitiful attempts to stop him from slaying her.

“That’s it, beg for your life. You have no idea how pathetic you look right now.”

She looked up at him with her beautiful jade eyes, begging for him not to kill her but he saw nothing of it. He pierced her heart with no remorse. Her scream filled the room, echoing in agony and the cries of a broken-hearted lover.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:- End Dream -:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sakura woke up in a cold sweat. She sprang up and nearly let out a high-pitched scream. She was panting heavily, replaying her dream in her mind.

‘The dream…it’s just a dream. No, it’s a nightmare. That’s all it is. But still, it was so vivid. Would Sasuke really do that to me?’

She looked around and noticed that she was still alone, the clock on the wall read 2:47. She laid back down on her bed when she heard the distinctive sound of a toilet being flushed and a door creaking open. She turned over to see someone exiting the bathroom.

It was just Sasuke. He came back for her. A worried expression on his face, he glided to her bedside. “What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” he asked.

Shaking her head, he went back to the chair he had been sitting in since he returned for her.

‘He…came back for me. Does that mean he still loves me?’

“Sasuke, can we go home now?” Sasuke nodded and helped her out of bed. She walked into the bathroom to change into her clothes and left the robe on the bed. Hand in hand, they both returned home and quickly settled in.

Tucking her into bed and kissing her goodnight, he left her alone without a word. The words of his inner mind still echoed in his head:

‘What will you do now?’

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Oooh, evil cliffy! Sorry everyone! Just hang in there and I’ll post another chapter soon! Reviews are always welcome! Flames too! (I need them to make my BBQ ribs)