Here After

The Sad Ending

Konohagakure, a few decades before the end of Ninja Era.
Winter.

His black long coat was still wet when Sasuke hurriedly arrived at the hospital. The dim light of the hallways made the freezing night even colder. But he couldn't careless about how thick the snow outside, neither how numbed his face was.

In fact, right at that moment his whole body seemed losing its sense to feel.

"Your wife is in critical state, Uchiha-san."

The door knob felt ridiculously heavy, for a man who was capable to brought damage to the Shinobi world.

"Uchiha-san?" The nurse was gaping at Sasuke, thought it was impossible for him to come when she just had a phone with him fifteen minutes ago.

"Natsu-san had the ventilator installed just before you came, and he's in a phone with Shizune-san right now. The other doctors are on their way."

The unmatched irises fixed to someone who laid peacefully upon the hospital bed. His heart beating rapidly. He clenched his fist hard enough to hold back his body from shivering, either from cold or hurt.

"Please, go home, Sasuke-kun. Just for today."

He could hear Sakura's pleading from before. How she pleaded for him not to see her leaving. She must have been in so much pain.

Three doctors who were responsible for Sakura came at once before Sasuke, he could not even take a single step closer to his wife. The doctors were talking about the possibilities of Sakura leaving this world—his world—and how to keep her alive with every consequences. As they kept talking, it brought great havoc into Sasuke's heart, head, his whole being.

"Both her lung had collapsed. She would barely survive until morning if her body couldn't adapting to the ventilator."

Sasuke reached to his phone, calling their beloved one, Sarada. It kept ringing hundred of times. She would barely survive until morning, the doctor's voice rang into his head, then he let go of his phone. There was one and only hope for him. His eagle has to reach Sarada before dawn.

"She's not answering the call, I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered softly into his wife's ear, "But, you know our daughter. She will come."

Sasuke heaved a long excruciating breath.

"Sakura," Sasuke was inching closer to her face. The deafening sound of the ventilator made everything gloomy even more. Teardrops fell on to her cheek.

/

"Of all days and nights we have spent together, are you really gonna do this to me right now?"

Sakura wiped away the tears that came from those beautiful uneven eyes of her husband.

"Look at yourself, Sasuke-kun. You look so tired I can't stand it anymore, you need a proper rest," she gently stroked Sasuke's cheek, "and you look... old."

"I hate it when you distract me while we're talking," Sasuke took Sakura's cold and frail hand. "Besides, I am old, Sakura," said Sasuke with a smile that could light up the room.

Sakura gave him serious look, instead of rewarding his acknowledgement with a smile, "Why are you crying?" soft voice escaped her mouth along with a low sigh.