J A D E

Chapter Fifty - Six

"Sa-Ku-Ra..." He whispers in a low voice, barely managing to lift his hand and gently caress my cheek. His onyx ayes are slowly losing his light, becoming shallow. "I...am...sorry." He whispers in barely audible voice. "I...I love you." He coughs the words out, his hand raising to my forehead and softly tapping on it. "It...will...never...change..."

"Sakura, there is someone that wants to see you." Ibiki gently knocks on my bedroom door. I don't answer him, I just sit on the chair and look out of the window. "I am coming in." The door swings open, revealing irritated Ibiki, but his gaze softens, when he sees me. "Sakura..." He approaches me, hugging me tightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." I whisper as I sigh, hugging him back. "I just...I let him go." I whisper angrily. I clench my fist and shake my head. "I should have stopped him. I should have done something, Ibiki." I whisper with tears pooling in my eyes. "I am far too useless." I whisper once again.

"Cut the bullshit, Sakura." Ibiki shakes his head, smiling down at me. "You are not useless. You didn't let Madara take Sasuke with him, you prevented him from seriously harming any of the Kages and you healed them all afterwards." Ibiki rolls his eyes. "So, cut the crap of you being useless." I smile at him and his weird ways of making you feel better. "Now come."

***

"Tsunade-sama." I smile as I hug her tightly. I let several droplets of tears to slip down on my face. She returns the hug, putting her hands around my figure, embracing me tightly. I rest, feeling comfortable with her, at rest, homey.

I know that no matter what happens, she will be with me, by my side, like a mother would do. During previous timeline, she never left me alone, even when she was the only one who believed in me. She never listened when someone talked down on me. She always made me prove that I was not weak.

During the war, she was my light. Someone, I wanted to make proud of me. She has put everything ad more in me. She has put her trust in me and I did not want to betray that. She was my light, that guided me through darkness, when I could no longer move.

"How are you, Sakura-chan?" She gently whispers in my ear, letting my go and caressing my cheek, wiping away my tears.

"I am fine, Tsunade-sama, how are you?" I ask with glittering orbs. I have not been able to visit her. I have not even left the room ever since I have returned. I did not feel comfortable watching others, when I knew that if I managed to prevent Tobi from leaving, there would be no war to begin with.

"Don't worry about me." She chuckles, shaking her head. "Now, I have heard of the things you did." She smiles down at me once again. "And I am proud of you, Sakura..."Her smile widens. I hug her once again.

"I am proud of you, Sakura-chan." Tsunade-sama whispers in my ear as she smiles, ignoring my tears. "I always have been."

***

The table is quiet. Too quiet. Ibiki is sitting on my left, while Sasori and Deidara are on my right. Shisui is sitting in front of me, smiling awkwardly. Naruto is sitting next to Ibiki, in front of Sasuke. While Sasuke is sitting in the middle of Itachi and Izumi. Fugaku and Mikoto are sitting side by side at the head of the table.

Hidan is at Anko's refusing to come to the dinner, stating that it would be too awkward for him and Anko. I think they are going to soon move in together. Kisame stated that he had some urgent business to attend to, while Kakuzu told us that he had more important matters to take care of than awkward dinners.

Sasori wanted to something like that, but Deidara decided to stick with me and seeing that both his favorite people were stuck in this situation, he decided to tag along. We finish dinner and dessert and it is still awkward. Ibiki, Mikoto and Fugaku are talking freely among one another, even joking around. Shisui, Sasori, Deidara and Itachi are occupied with one another, while Naruto and Sasuke are glaring at each other. It leaves me and Izumi. And I don't know that girl at all. Yes, I do feel sorry for her, because what is happening to her.

She is going to marry a man, who has not yet learnt how to love her. And I know that she is not silly. I know that she understands that, just like Gaara did with me.

***

"Sakura..." I look up at Mikoto-san and smile at her. The dinner is over and after helping her clear up, I was going to go in the living room. But I don't mind spending time with her. She is really kind and often makes me feel warm. "Thank you." She whispers with tears pooling in her eyes. "For bringing Sasuke back." She chokes the words out and smiles when I hug her tightly.

"You don't have to thank me, Mikoto-san." I smile at the woman. "I wanted to bring him back." I smile once again.

"I..." Mikoto starts with small blush. "I know that it is deemed inappropriate for me to talk about it, but I hope you and Sasuke end up together." She has heart in her eyes, squealing even louder at my blush.

"I-I d-don't like him like that." I mumble with stutter, redness on my face. Mikoto looks up, her dark eyes clashing with my jade orbs.

"Sakura." She starts in low voice, shaking her head. "I have watched you grow up, I have watched how both my boys fell in love with you." She smirks, ignoring my confused expression. "I knew from the beginning that you had feelings towards one of them, but I could never tell which one of them was it." She smiles gently. She motions for a seat and I sit next to her. "When Itachi left..." She looks down. "You followed him, and I thought that you might have feelings for him." Mikoto admits. "I have seen the way he is watching you, and I can tell that he has never looked like that at Izumi." Mikoto shakes her head. "And then... Then I noticed that I have been wrong all along. Your heart belonged to Sasuke." She chuckles, shaking her head once again. I can see how uncomfortable this talk is for her. But it is more awkward for me. "And he felt the same. I could feel your devastation when Sasuke left, how you tried to bring him back..." She chuckles. "He might not say it soon, because Sasuke-chan is a bit foolish, but he does love you back, Sakura-chan."

***

I am still thinking about the conversation I and Mikoto-chan had. Now I do put together some puzzled things in my mind. Now, I understand the sad gaze Shisui was giving me when he talked how Itachi loved another girl. I can understand Itachi's gaze, his tone. Yes, I do feel guilty. I do feel like I have committed a crime, yet I can't force myself to love someone else. I have tried it once before and I don't want to make a same mistake.

I have come in terms with the fact, that he might not ever feel the same towards me. Yet, I have refused to do anything that would hurt other. I could not give my everything to someone else, I could not be able to love them back. Thus, I have decided that if he does not feel the same, I am not going to do what I did with Gaara before. I am not going to make someone else fall in love with me completely, while I managed to offer only half of me.

"Can we talk?" I look up from my daze and stare at Sasuke, who seems a bit awkward. I nod, standing up and following him outside towards the pond.

We stop in front of water, at the place, where we used to train. I look around fondly, letting memories rush in my mind. I smile silly at the memory of the last time we were here, rain pouring down on us and how I stayed over at his house. I bite my lower lip, preventing my lips from forming any more smiles.

Sasuke is standing next to me. He is near, yet far away from me. I can feel warmth radiating off of him, I can feel his hand brushing against mine occasionally. I can feel him looking at me from time to time, but I can't be sure. I can't be sure that he won't leave me again. That he will not disappear again.

"Sakura." He calls out my name gently, gaining my full attention. I look at him, my jade orbs clashing with his onyx orbs and sinking deep into blackness. He turns towards me fully, his eyes staring directly into mine, ignoring how hitched my breathing becomes, or how rapidly and loudly my heart starts beating against my ribcage. He takes a step forward, stopping mere inches away from me. He softly puts his hand on my cheek, caressing it and wiping away the tears, I did not know I had shed. "I am sorry." He whispers in a low voice, tapping my forehead softly.

"Sa-Ku-Ra..." He whispers in a low voice, barely managing to lift his hand and gently caress my cheek. His onyx ayes are slowly losing his light, becoming shallow. "I...am...sorry." He whispers in barely audible voice. "I...I love you." He coughs the words out, his hand raising to my forehead and softly tapping on it. "It...will...never...change..."

"I..." He starts in a low voice, his hand going down, as if letting me go, but I raise my hand, intertwining my fingers with his. I lean forward, putting my forehead against his. "I...love you." He whispers in a low, soft voice. "And...it will never change."