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Far Away by sayurisan

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Chapter notes: This is my first Naruto fan fic. It's also up at BahFanFicition under my other pen name emmamoonpotter.

Thanks to my good friend Sally for looking over my chapter for me.
So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)


Move Along by The All American Rejects


"Sakura."

The young woman looked up from the medical scroll she had been perusing and stared into the face of her teacher, the Hokage, Tsunade.

"He's back," Tsunade watched for any reaction on her students face. There was a brief flash of surprise, before her features closed. The Hokage knew she didn’t need to point out exactly who he was.

"I see," Sakura carefully rolled the scroll up and placed it on the table she was sitting at. Shadows stretched across Tsunade's spacious office and Sakura rubbed her neck to ease the strain from sitting and reading for hours. "It's been a long time."

"Six years," Tsunade crossed the room and set her ever present sake bottle and two glasses on the table. Taking a seat next to Sakura, she poured out liberal amounts of the alcohol and gave Sakura a glass. "Drink up. I think you need it."

Sakura chuckled dryly and sipped the strong liquid. She didn't make it a habit to drink, but Tsunade was right. She needed it.

"I never thought he would return to Konoha. Does that mean he was successful?"

Tsunade drowned her sake quickly and poured another glass. "From what little information that was gathered, Itachi is dead." She glanced at her apprentice and admired the woman she had become. A young girl of thirteen, Sakura had asked to train under Tsunade, showing much promise in so little time. Her strength was awesome and her medical skills unsurpassed, even by Tsunade herself.

Sakura shook back her shoulder length, pink hair. Her emerald eyes stared morosely into the dark liquid of the sake as memories assailed her. It had been a very long time. So much to remember. So much she wanted to forget.

"Is Naruto all right?" Sakura questioned. "He went after Sasuke, even when I told him not to. I wanted to be there to help him." And that was what hurt Sakura most of all. That her friend and teammate had left in the dead of night, leaving her behind. It seemed she was always left behind.

"He's fine. A few bumps and bruises. Mostly got those from dragging Uchiha back with him." Tsunade lifted her glass in silent toast to Naruto and drank deeply. Sakura smiled slightly and sipped a bit more of the sake.

"I guess Sasuke wasn't thrilled coming back here. After all, he left on his own." Sakura lowered the glass to the table with a snap and stood from her seat. "Seems silly to think he would return on his own. I don't think he even once looked back." She stared out the window and watched the last traces of red and orange streak across the sky. Stars began to come out and twinkle brightly overhead.

Sakura's mind drifted back to the time two and a half years after Sasuke had left the Hidden Leaf village. She, Naruto, Yamoto and Sai had trailed after Orochimaru, hoping to save Sasuke and bring him back before Orochimaru could use Sasuke as his vessel. How foolish that hope had been. Naruto had almost destroyed himself when he lost control of the demon kept inside of him and sprouted four tails of the Nine Tail fox during battle with Orochimaru. Sakura had been injured by Naruto, trying to stop him. Eventually, they came face to face with their former teammate and were almost killed by him. At that point, Sakura had known that Sasuke had chosen his path.

"It's getting late," Sakura gathered the rest of the scrolls she had been studying and set them back on the shelves that lined one side of the room. Taking a deep breath she faced her mentor and shrank a bit under her shrewd gaze.

"Give my best to Naruto," Tsunade remarked casually. "And tell him that I would like to see him in the morning."

"Of course," Sakura bowed to Tsunade and waved good-bye. She knew that if she hurried, she would catch Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen stand. He would undoubtedly be with their former Academy teacher, Iruka. Lightly jumping from roof to roof, Sakura finally touched down a few minutes later to hear Naruto’s voice ringing from inside the small restaurant.

“I’ll take two of those and one of those,” Naruto was bouncing up and down on his stool as he pointed to the different types of ramen available. Iruka was shaking his head and staring woefully at his wallet. He should know better than to think it would be cheap to eat ramen with Naruto.

“Iruka-sensei, which kind do you want?” Naruto was happily slurping up his ramen and sighed with contentment. “It’s all so good.”

“You’re such a pig,” Sakura commented lightly as she sat on the stool next to her friend. Sakura gave a friendly smile to Ayame, the owner’s daughter, as Naruto looked over at her, ramen hanging from his mouth before being sucked in.

“Sa-Sakura!” Naruto smiled and grabbed the pink haired kunoichi in a tight hug, nearly spilling his ramen in the process. Sakura stiffened slightly, but melted into the embrace. Naruto was her closest friend; it was hard to stay mad at him for long.

“Naruto,” Sakura returned his embrace before pulling back. She studied his face and saw a few bruises along his jaw and some scratches on his neck. “You’re lucky that Sasuke didn’t hurt you worse.”

“Like that would ever happen,” Naruto scoffed. He resumed inhaling his ramen while Iruka laid his head on the counter, moaning how Naruto would pauper him.

Sakura pulled out her purse and put some bills on the counter. “Here you go Ayame. I’ll take care of the tab tonight.”

“All right!” Naruto exclaimed, punching his fist in the air. “In that case, I’ll take three mo...”

“Idiot!” Sakura slapped Naruto on the back of the head. “You’ve had enough!”

“But I’m still hungry!” Naruto wailed. “I’ve been gone three weeks! C’mon Sakura!”

Sakura narrowed her gaze and Naruto flinched slightly. “We still have to chat about that.”

Sakura hopped off the stool and put her purse back in her vest pocket. Naruto shrank at the hard look in his friend’s eyes. He knew that Sakura would be mad, and probably wouldn’t understand his reasons for going by himself. He had wanted to spare her the pain if he wasn’t able to bring Sasuke back. Luckily for Naruto, Sasuke barely had the strength to resist being brought to Konoha. Now, the Uchiha was at the hospital under constant supervision by the medical staff and ANBU.

“Sakura...” Naruto began, but his friend held up a hand and shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said flatly. “I have to go. My mom’s waiting for me.”

Naruto smiled sadly at Sakura. He knew that it would take a bit for her hurt to ease. “Tell your mom I said hi.”

Sakura nodded and smiled in return. “By the way Naruto, Tsunade would like you to report to her office first thing tomorrow.” With that, she bid both Naruto and Iruka good-bye and left Ichiraku.

Her feet automatically carried her the way she had walked so many times before. So lost in thought, Sakura jolted to awareness when she found herself in front of a door. She slid the door open and slipped inside the room beyond. Beeping sounds greeted her as she quietly walked to the bed set in the middle of the white room. There was a small lamp burning softly on the nondescript dresser. Flowers drooped in a glass vase and Sakura made a mental note to replace the flowers in the morning as she dropped them in the trash. Her eyes adjusted more to the dimly lit room. She could make out the small figure lying silently in the bed.

“Mama.”

Sakura took a seat next to her mother and grasped the limp hand lying above the covers, pressing it against her cheek. There was no flicker of movement from the woman lying silent and Sakura knew that there probably never would be again.

Her parents had both been ANBU Black Ops. They had been on an A ranked mission when they were ambushed two days from home. Sakura had been part of the team that had found them. Her father’s lifeless body had lay over his wife’s, protecting her even in death. Sakura never knew who had murdered her father and left her mother to die. At this point, she probably would never know.

“I took the Jounin exam yesterday,” Sakura smoothed back her mother’s golden locks. “Kakashi-sensei was there for me. I wish you and Dad could have been too.” Sakura released a shaky breath and felt the dreaded tears stream down her face. “Of course Naruto missed the whole thing. He was too busy keeping that damn promise...” Sakura ruthlessly brushed the tears from her face. “I’ll let him know how I did tomorrow. Just to see the look on his face.”

“Ino’s mom said she’ll come by tomorrow during the day. She has a lot of gossip to catch you up on. Naruto says hello.” No response. Sakura’s shoulders slumped and she cursed silently at herself. Every day she came in with the hope that her mother would open her eyes and gaze upon her daughter’s face. And each day, that hope was crushed by bitter disappointment.

“I have to go Mama. Visiting hours are almost over.” Sakura leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. The skin felt stretched and brittle under her lips. Pulling back, Sakura straightened the bed sheets one last time and stood. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Sakura left her mother’s hospital room and slowly made her way down the hall. Her steps echoed quietly against the floor and her mind wandered slightly going over her plans for the next day. It helped lessen the pain when her mind was filled with duties and responsibilities. It helped her forget, for only a little while, that there was no one waiting at home for her.

She surprised herself by stopping in front of another door. Placing her hand on the handle, she hesitated. Beyond that door he was there. Lying in bed, recovering from whatever injuries he had sustained from the battle with his brother, Itachi Uchiha. It would be simple to just open the door, see for herself that he was actually here. Back in Konoha.

Battling with herself, Sakura silently slid the door open a few inches. Breath held, she waited for a sign of movement from inside the darkened room.

Nothing.

Growing bolder, she opened the door a bit more. The light in the hallway surrounded her, leaving the front of her in shadows. Sakura’s heartbeat quickened as she gazed upon Sasuke for the first time in over three years. His face had gotten leaner, stronger. He no longer had the boyish good looks of his tender youth. His face was that of a man. All angles and planes. One hand lay unmoving on the top of the blankets and Sakura could see the bandages wrapped around it.

His even breathing permeated the room and before she knew it, Sakura had taken a few tentative steps inside. He was the same, but yet, so different. She stopped next to his bed, staring down at the person who she had spent more than half her life loving. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. She always noticed that about him. No matter how cold and hard he was when awake, when asleep, he looked younger, more vulnerable. She tentatively reached out her hand to see if he was truly lying there in that hospital bed and not just a figment of her overactive imagination. Sakura brushed back a strand of hair from his face and smiled softly.

“Sakura?”

The raspy whisper broke her trance. With a small gasp, Sakura backed away from the bed before whirling around and darting out the door, closing it behind her. Panting, she leaned against the door her blood roaring in her ears.

How did he know? How could he have known she was there?
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