Sacrifice and Surrender

29: Anniversary

Sakura listened to the rustle of trees outside her open window, and the owls hooting softly in the forest. Faintly she heard the rustle of deer as they moved over the undergrowth, and felt the cool wind brush against her cheek. She couldn't sleep. She didn't want to. Madara wasn't there, he had been attending to clan duties for the afternoon, and so Sakura had come home after her work at the hospital had finished. She'd declined dinner with Shikaru and Shikata, and just had a bath before getting into her bed and wrapping herself in the covers.

It was foolish, she knew, to let herself sink into the sadness. She wanted Ino, and TenTen, and Hinata to talk to, and distract and comfort her. She wanted to lay under the stars with Shisui and listen to him make-up constellations, and laugh as he teased, and told secrets, and made her forget her worries. She wanted to watch Naruto laugh, and Choji eat, and Shikamaru sigh but secretly smile at the antics of his friends. She wanted to see Kiba and Akamaru play, and watch Neji watch over Hinata and Hanabi. She wanted to see Sasuke smiling again, and she wanted Itachi to be with her, and poke her forehead.

Sakura squeezed her eyes tight and turned her face into her pillow, clutching the blanket tightly to her and hugging herself. She sat up quickly when she heard a knock at the door. With a frown, she slowly got out of bed and walked through the house to the front door, before sighing and smiling when she saw who it was.

"Kuku!" Kagami bubbled happily.

Matsuri smiled empathetically at her. Sakiko was resting on her shoulder, looking sleepily at Sakura and blinking tiredly. Kagami reached up to Sakura's fingertips and she reached down so he could hold her hand.

"Hello Kagami," she said to him.

"Mama say we sleep here t'gether!" Kagami said happily.

"Does she?" Sakura murmured, smiling a little at him and then looking at Matsuri questioningly.

"Yes, she does," Matsuri said firmly. "Deal with it, Kuku," she winked.

Sakura laughed softly, gratitude welling up in her eyes and spilling over. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, and crouched down to be eye-level with Kagami.

"Kuku are you sad?" Kagami asked her.

"A little. But I'm happy you're here," she said, wrapping him in a big hug.

Kagami held her tightly and she lifted him up.

"We have to be shhh," he whispered to her. "Kiko is sleep."

"Oh, really?" Sakura replied. "I guess I can't tickle you then."

Kagami giggled behind his hand and Matsuri came into the house with Sakiko, and she gave Sakura a little hug.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered to her.

"Of course, Sakura," she whispered. She pulled back and smiled. "Yuri's helping Madara and we were home alone, weren't we Kagami?"

Kagami nodded and then yawned, snuggling into Sakura's neck. "Sleepy," he mumbled.

Matsuri smiled affectionately at him. They carried the children into the bedroom and all four of them snuggled into Sakura's bed, with Sakura and Matsuri acting as barriers on the edges. Within half an hour, both Sakiko and Kagami were sleeping soundly, with Kagami still clutching Sakura's shirt in his sleep.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Matsuri whispered.

"I'm meeting Asami at the flower shop," Sakura murmured in reply. "We're going to go together."

"That's good," Matsuri replied. "But that's not what I meant."

Sakura sighed lightly. "I don't know. What am I supposed to feel? How am I supposed to get ready?"