Saisaku (the colour pink ) complete

A new beginning

Chapter 14-

The estimated lifespan of a shinobi was less than that of the average, non-shinobi person- much, much less. Sometimes, one would be a twelve-year old Genin for only a few months until one's life was taken; it was a rare occurence, but it happened. When a shinobi reached the age of forty, he was considered lucky; when he ended up dying of natural causes rather than during a mission, he was considered blessed by the Gods. Not many shinobis were blessed. Their world was determined by survival of the fittest; who was the strongest and who was the weakest; who had lady luck on his side and who didn't; who fought with a reason and who fought just for the sake of fighting.

Sakura knew all this. She knew that as a kunoichi, fighting for her village and for the people she cared about was her sole purpose. She knew that she might not live into a ripe old age and die through natural means as she always imagined. But that didn't mean that she was ready for it nor was she ready each time Fate took away someone precious to her; she had already lost her parents, the Third Hokage, Lady Chiyo. She wasn't ready to lose another loved one. But she should have known that Fate loved playing with her.

That morning, as she fixed the baby's room for what was probably the hundredth time, she heard the door bell rang. Immediately, her heart began racing excitedly; Sai was supposed to be due back any day now. He must have arrived already. Quickly, she rushed out of the room, paused for a few seconds to fix her hair in the hallway mirror then went to open the door. Instead of her boyfriend, she saw Yamato. He was disheveled and there were dark circles underneath his eyes. He gazed at her wearily.

"Taichou?" she asked, startled to see him. "You're back." She looked at him closely. "What's wrong?"

The wood jutsu user opened his mouth but no answer came out. Her eyes furrowed as her eyes ran over him. There were crimson stains on his sleeves and the front of his jounin vest: blood. The pounding of her heart increased with dread.

"D-Did someone get injured?" she stammered, worriedly.

Yamato tilted his head.

Sakura felt herself swallow. "W-Who?"

When he couldn't look her in the eye, she knew. Suddenly, she couldn't breath, her legs shook. She held the door frame for support. No, she mustn't get weak now. She was needed. Still shaking, she lifted her head, a hand over her stomach as she held back tears that threatened to fall.

"Take me to him."
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Sakura expected broken bones. She expected a stab wound. Heck, she even expected that he was now blind! But no, nothing prepared her for this. Yamato didn't take her to a hospital room or an operating room; he took her to the Konoha Hospital's Poison Ward. Upon recognizing the hallways he was leading her through, she felt her feet stop and she couldn't go on. She didn't want to go on. If she did, then it made it real. It confirmed that Yamato was not making a mistake. However, she made herself go. She needed to go. Knowing the truth was better than lying to herself.

Tsunade was standing outside the door leading to the examining room, talking to a medic-in-training. She turned around as Sakura and Yamato approached. Without knowing it, the pregnant nineteen-year old broke into a run straight towards the door. But the female Hokage grabbed her by the arm before she could go in.

"Let me go!" the pinnkette screamed, struggling against her master. "I have to see him! I have to heal him! Let me go!"

Unshed tears now poured down her face. Tsunade pulled her student to her chest and allowed her to sob loudly into her shirt. She rubbed the young girl's back as soothingly as she could and whispered words of comfort. The medic-in-training stood next to the door, awkwardly while the Anbu captain looked on helplessly. Sakura was a very headstrong girl, it was rare to see her break down like this.