Empty Eyes: The Sequel

Chapter 7

"Papa, Mama forgot your name!" The adorable yet unreal child spoke excitedly as he patted his little hands against Madara's cheeks. My mouth hung open in disbelief as the Uchiha elder looked down at him with an uncharacteristically soft gaze.

"It was already fucked up, but this is just the cherry on top!" I ignored Ino's loud yet entirely true sentiment and tried to remove myself from the warm emotion in my chest as I looked at the two interacting adorably before us.

"Oh my God, Sakura. Not you, too!"

My eyes squeezed shut, and I turned my head away, shaking it as I slapped my cheeks, "N-No, it's not real! I know it's not real!"

Until now, I thought the illusioned toddler was meant to be Sasuke and I's child. The wide array of emotions swirling about my mind was both exhausting and confusing.

Ino hollered, "If you guys are listening out there, come get this thing!"

Madara's eyes began glowing again as he shot her a glare, and hers did the same as she shot one back, "Snap out of it! That's a grown man in your lap, not some cute little kid."

It was easier to tell myself it was all fake if I didn't have to see it, so I decided to remove him from the situation. Shinzo turned to me when I got close, and I made a motion with my hands for him to come to me, and he did, giggling when I pulled him up into my arms.

Madara looked at me with such an emotional expression that my face paled. The look faded when I turned to walk toward the door, but I gave him a warning look, "I'm not going to hurt him." As long as he could see the kid, there would be no talking sense into him.

Although he looked furious, the Uchiha didn't stop me as I sat the boy outside, shooting one of the guards in the hallway a dirty look, "Don't bring him back in here." Shinzo started to cry as I shut the door, but I squeezed my eyes closed and made myself walk back to sit with the other two.

Ino winced as she sat up a bit straighter, and it was as though Madara just noticed her pregnant belly, "You're-!"

My sister shot him a warning look with tears rising, "I don't wanna talk about it, or I'm gonna start crying again, so shut the hell up." To say the hormones were affecting her would be an understatement. It probably explained her out-of-character personality the day we got captured.

I turned to the Uchiha and spoke hushedly, "Have you learned anything that can help us get out of here?"

That tender expression came to his face again, and I awkwardly looked away, "Kaguya is apparently getting weaker every day, and they think it's because of you."

My brow furrowed as I recalled her saying she thought I was meant to be her reincarnate. "Why haven't they killed me yet, if that's true?"

Ino rubbed her belly with a frown, "Because she wants revenge for Tenji's death." We both turned to look at her, and she shook her head with a frown, "If someone killed Sai, I would let myself get torn apart if it meant the ones who did it were also suffering." I couldn't help but agree. If someone even hurt Sasuke, my rage would be unbearable.

"So, how do we use that to escape?" There was a long silence as we pondered, but none of us could devise a plan.

That night, I woke up as Madara laid down beside me and tossed an arm over my waist. I gave him a warning glare and went to move away, but he held me still. My eyes searched his face, and I shook my head when he stared at me as he had earlier.

My voice wavered as I whispered, heartbroken, "He's not real, Madara."

His brow furrowed as he nodded, "But he could be."