Daylight

Sunset Pt.2

Karin feigned annoyance by harshly turning her head away, but it was clear to Sasuke that the two kunoichis had formed a bond beyond friendship outside of his presence.

Sakura's gaze fell on her husband's face. To anyone else, he might have seemed indifferent to her current circumstance, but she could see underneath his mask of composure, and she could see into his eyes full of concern. She undressed him with a look and read his deep scars like an open book. "Sasuke..." They stared at each other, trading thoughts and feelings through a look.

They were interrupted by Karin, her voice filled with urgency. "Sasuke, we don't have time for a reunion. We've got company. Two chakra signatures are coming this way, and fast."

Sakura clambered onto her feet with a smirk sitting on her lips. "So they came for another round, huh?"

Karin shot Sasuke a look, urging him to stop her. Sakura took a step forward, her heel digging into the ground as she fought to balance herself. Sasuke caught her wrist and gave his wife a warning look. NO, Sakura.

Both Sasuke and Karin rose up. Karin ran towards the entrance of the cave, her arms outstretched behind her as she shouted back at him. "Sasuke, take Sakura and leave! I'll take care of things here!" They last thing they saw was golden chains striking out of Karin's body as she encountered two shinobi before he used his rinnengan to teleport back to Karin's hideout, meaning that they were off course from their path to Konoha.

Sakura tore her wrist away from his firm grip. "Why did you do that for?! She saved me and we left her! We have to go back Sasuke!"

His voice was low and steady as he replied, "No one is going anywhere, Sakura. Not in your state."

She had heard the accusation in his voice at that last part. "I had to DO something!"

He couldn't hold it in anymore. His rage and sorrows that he had sealed away now came bubbling up to the surface. He exploded. "YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO USE YOUR CHAKRA EXCESSIVELY. How could you be so RECKLESS, SAKURA?" The fear of the result of depletion of her chakra gnawed away at him - it could only mean certain death.

"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO? Wait around until you showed up? They were going to perform a C-Section on me and just take the child! Is that what you wanted?!"

Sasuke could only glare at her, but his rage was not meant for her. His mind was circling and he gritted his teeth in frustration, shutting his eyes tightly in the process. "You should have-"

"WHAT, SASUKE? What?" Her raised voice cast his eyes open again. "I'm not a helpless woman, Sasuke. I can fight my own battles."

He let his tears fall to the floor, not caring to shield them from the woman who held his heart. His tone softened as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I know, Sakura. But like you once said, it's not just about you anymore." His hand fell to her bump as he caressed it.

Her brows furrowed as she looked up at Sasuke. She whispered up at him. "I would do anything for this child... even if it meant putting my life on the line. I would do ANYTHING."

He wept silently, tears that spoke of apologies for being the accursed man she fell in love with.

***

Two weeks had passed and yet, Karin had not returned. Sakura had been besides herself with worry. Sakura was adamant that she would not leave the hideout until Sasuke found her, but he would refuse to leave her side. Sasuke would urge Sakura to leave this godforsaken place so they could continue onward to Konoha, but she would have none of it. An argument had erupted and they had not spoken or touched each other for a week. He found that her ghostly touch haunted him more than the phantom limb pain he had experienced when he first lost half of his left arm. Now he had lost more than that. He had lost a part of himself, although she would still sleep beside him. All that lay between them was a barrier of twisted bed sheets and twisted ideals.