Nothing But the Truth

Chapter 7: Can't Say Goodbye

AN: I wrote a good portion of this under the influence of Nyquil. Damn colds, damn them to hell. Anyway, I tried to be a little more descriptive in this chapter. I hope you like it. Please review!

Slight revisions 6/29/13

Nothing but the Truth

Chapter 7: Can't Say Goodbye

"In time, in time they tell me, I'll not feel so bad. I don't want time to heal me. There's a reason I'm like this. I want time to set me ugly and knotted with loss of you, marking me. I won't smooth you away. I can't say goodbye."

― China Miéville, The Scar

It was the soft humming of chakra being implanted into her body that woke her slowly. The warmth from the chakra that wove its way slowly throughout her body sent a shiver down her spine, visibly, and the person who was healing her tensed. The chakra ceased and suddenly Sakura found herself whimpering subconsciously at the sudden lack of warm contact. Burying herself into her soft, velvety blankets and sheets further, a cool, calloused finger gripped her by the shoulder lightly.

"Sakura-san," the voice said steadily, "Remain still."

She couldn't place the mysterious voice, but she knew she recognized it. The sound was soft yet firm but she still failed, to her frustration and dissatisfaction, to think of who could have issued that kind of command. Deciding it was because she still wasn't fully conscious, she focused on coming around. Tears were pricking the sides of her sore eyes and threatened to fall unceremoniously from the orbs. Cursing herself for being so emotional, Sakura huffed in exasperation as the healing chakra on her back began to pulsate and consume her once again. Allowing herself to fall into a half-conscious state, her mind instantly flashed to the complete horror that had been the past afternoon.

Her entire heart ached at the realization that she had been fully prepared and poised to kill him, Sasuke, her teammate, the boy who she used to be in love with. Permitting herself to wryly laugh inwardly at that word, Sakura did not fail to see the irony in this completely screwed up situation she had planted her feet so firmly in. It wasn't until years had passed and Sakura found someone else, someone different to fill the void that Sasuke left, that she knew what love really, truly meant. The absolute chaos that had been that relationship also hit her chest, making her eyes constrict at her most recently failed attempts at happiness. Forcing back the memories of her failed relationship, she turned her mind back to Sasuke. He was much easier to think about then him.

Loved, loved, loved – Sakura had thought she'd been in love with Uchiha Sasuke and now she was vowing to kill him. She'd almost done it, too. Itachi had stopped her, thankfully. Truly, with every fiber of her being, she had not wanted to kill Sasuke. Now he was back in Konoha where he belonged. As one tear escaped her eyes, she clenched them shut tightly; trying to keep them from escaping because she knew that at least one Akatsuki was in the room with her.

Instead she focused on regaining her physical bearings while compartmentalizing her inner turmoil. The bed underneath her was familiar and warm – one she had slept on before. Was she back in her room in Konoha? No that would be too good to be true. She was surely at the Akatsuki base somewhere in Earth Country. Another gruff voice in the room was enough to rouse her completely and she recognized it this time.

"Kid going to be okay, Itachi?" Kisame asked roughly.

"It's been a while since I've needed to use medical chakra," Itachi responded flatly, "However she should be fine."

Kisame let out a bit of a sigh in relief. The death of the kunoichi would be majorly inconvenient at this point, wouldn't it? They needed her for the mission and to heal Itachi's eyes. Not that the Mist-nin had actually grown fond of the rambunctious, fowl, and volatile little kunoichi – no, it was nothing like that. His liking for the Leaf-nin was for practical reasons only – her abilities and the fact that she was trained by the only Leaf shinobi he had any sort of respect for.