Step 13 - Falling Silent
Our lives are shaped by moments. Sometimes these moments are only seconds that affect, or even change us as a person and our lives. Life is full of these different moments. Moments when we laugh, jump in joy. Moments when we cry and don't want to see anyone. Moments in which we grow beyond ourselves, moments in which we threaten to fall, just as moments which leave us speechless and make us fall silent...
Another month has passed. They have been married for almost four months now. And this fourth month is almost over again. He cannot say that these months were absolutely boring, no, thanks to Sakura's cheeky nature, it was also quite funny so far. A dull sound can be heard as he places the empty glass back on the wooden plate of his desk. The Uchiha looks tired to the outside. Dark clouds cover the otherwise blue sky. Not a single ray of sun is able to break through. A cool wind is blowing. Somehow this weather reminds him of an month ago when he was out shopping with Sakura. The day she covered him with colorful shirts. At least she made it that he even went to work the following Monday with a dark blue shirt and white tie and he has only received positive feedback from all sides so far. Sasuke smiles slightly, each color stands for something. White for purity, black for sadness and death.
He sighs softly and grabs the bridge of his nose, which he massages lightly. A strong storm had raged the last night and made him sleep quite restlessly. The tiredness makes his work extremely difficult. If he looks at a report for too long, he almost threatens to fall asleep. He wouldn’t even dare to revise the drawings in his dreams. Maybe he should just go home. He doesn't have any important appointments today anyway. His eyes turn back to the dark clouds outside. Inside, he just waits for a flash of lightning to illuminate the surroundings, which are only illuminated by the city lights through these thick dark clouds. With a sigh, the black haired man takes the bottle of lemon iced tea and fills the glass again. Somehow he has to get through this day, at least until 6:00 p.m. After a sip of his iced tea, he sets the glass aside and rises to walk up to the window and opens it. When he sticks his head out, dozens of rain drops wet his face. After taking a deep breath of the cool and fresh air, he closes the window again. He massages the cool water properly into his skin and rubs his eyes.
Today is simply not his day. A little more refreshed than before, he sits back at his desk and looks at the documents, which are brightly lit by his desk light. He looks around for his pen, which he finally finds after lifting up three folders. But it immediately slips out of his hand and falls to the ground. He sighs a little tormented and starts looking for his ballpoint pen, which of course rolled underneath the desk. When he suddenly hears the phone ringing, he bangs his head startled against the underside of the table. Annoyed, he straightens up and takes the call as he leans over his documents. Today is definitely not his day. Hopefully it will end soon.
~> * <~
Her eyes are on the sky as she repeatedly taps the same spot with the stylus. It's days like this when the sky is covered with such black and dark blue clouds. On days like this her heart is always so heavy and sad. After all these years, she still has a hard time. Actually, she never really got over her parents's death, and days like this remind her of it every time. Sighing silently, she turns her head away from the window and looks at the calendar on her desk. September 18th. There are only days until the autumn officially begins, but the weather already changed to autumn a few days ago anyway.
"Sasuke looked very tired this morning.” The Hondo suddenly notes, bringing Sakura back to reality. Sakura blinks a few times, before she looks up at her coworker. "Yes. It was so stormy tonight, that it made him sleep very restlessly.” The pinkette replies with a smile. In the meantime, they have both agreed to call her husband by his first name when they talk about him in his absence, since Natsuki always mentioned him as Mr. Uchiha in the beginning, even if he was not around. The Haruno smiles slightly as she leans back over her drawing and holds the pen back onto the paper to draw a line, and many smaller ones to shade the area. She adds more lines and shades, then looks on the screen to open one of the gears which are used in production and takes a closer look at its dimensions.
The ringing of her smartphone lets the Haruno look up again. She briefly looks at the glowing device on the desk next to her screen, before she picks it up. A smile forms on her lips when she reads the name. "Hello Fugaku!" She greets her father in law happily. "Hello Sakura ." He greets back, letting the last vocal of her name fade before he continues to speak "Please do me a favor?” Confused, the Haruno looks to her calendar. Her father in law's voice sounds strange, somewhat worried and sad. "Sure, what should I do?" She asks, hoping to sound encouraging. "Go to Sasuke's office. Make sure that he switches off everything in peace and does not storm out blindly. Take care that he stays calm. It would be better if you drive, since he'll be too agitated and worried.” Fugaku explains calmly and insistently. The pink haired woman nods slowly. “Okay, but why? Has anything happened?” Because of the strange attitude of her father in law, she too is beginning to worry. “Mikoto broke down and is now in the hospital. I want you to take Sasuke to Seiroka Hospital. She’s stationed in the intensive care unit, on the third floor, room 115. You don’t need to worry. Everything will be fine.“ The man's calm voice sounds again. The green eyed woman swallows gently while she writes down the information he has given her, on a piece of paper. "O-okay. I'll take care of it immediately. We'll see you soon.” The Haruno tries to stay calm and not let her worries overpower her. After a short farewell word from Fugakus, she hangs up and immediately clears away her papers as she switches off her computer and packs her handbag.
"What's going on?" The Hondo asks, confused by the sudden departure. Sakura quickly slips into her jacket and smiles briefly at her colleague. "Sasuke and I have to go to the hospital as soon as possible.” She explains briefly before leaving the office, clutching the straps of her handbag tightly. "See you!” she says only briefly and raises her hand for a goodbye. The next moment she walks towards her husband's office with quick steps. After a short knock, she enters the secretary's office, Ayame, who looks up and smiles at her. “You have to cancel all of today's appointments. I have to take Sasuke to the hospital. Mikoto broke down.” Sakura explains quickly to the brunette woman, who immediately nods in understanding. "Of course. You can go straight to him." Ayame says and sends her to the Uchiha's office. She also knocks on his door briefly before entering the office without being asked. Her husband looks up somewhat surprised. "Hey. What are you doing here? Are you going home?” He asks after a quick look at her jacket and bag.
"Sasuke. Your father sends me.“ She begins calmly and smiles encouragingly. "Okay," Sasuke replies indecisively and places the pen on the folder in front of him. "Clear your table, put everything away and shut down the computer. You don't need it anymore today.” She suggests, bravely keeping a smile on her lips. "How so. Did I miss something? Any meal or anything?” He looks at her skeptically, recognizing the outfit which he had chosen and put out for her when they went shopping last month. "No. It is something different. But first do what I told you. I'll tell you what it's about when you're done.“ Smiling, she approaches his desk. The Uchiha sighs briefly and then starts packing up the documents, stowing his tablet in his work bag and shutting down the PC. When everything was done, he leans back in his armchair and looks waiting at her. She hesitantly walks around the table and watches him turn his armchair together with himself towards her. She takes a step towards him and briefly runs her fingers through his hair. "So. What is it about?” He finally asks and looks into her eyes. She smiles, but he notices that it doesn't reach her eyes. He gently takes her hand in his. "Sasuke. Your father called me. We should both come to Seiroka Hospital immediately.” She explains to him with a calm voice. "Why?" He continues asking, noticing how his throat is suddenly dust-dry. "Your mother collapsed.” She says quietly and empathetically.
Suddenly all the tiredness that has been bothering him all day long, vanishes in an instant. His heart beats up to his throat, as panic settles on his features. He swallows hard and reaches for the glass of iced tea from which he greedily drinks the rest. He quickly gets up and slips into his suit jacket, takes his bag and stows his cell phone in the inside pocket before looking at Sakura. Now her look and this weird smile make sense to him. He gently squeezes her hand before they leave the office together, hurrying down the hall and taking the elevator to the underground parking lot. He fingers his car key out of his jacket pocket, which immediately falls out of his hand and onto the floor. He picks it up again and grips it tightly as he snaps the key open and shut. His wife’s eyes are worried on his hand, but he doesn't notice anything. He looks spellbound at the elevator's floor display until it announces with a quiet sound that they have reached their destination. With quick steps, the two approach his car and the key falls out of his hand once again. His fingers shake as they reach for the small object and after holding it again in his hand and using the remote control, small fingers suddenly wrap around his hand. He looks surprised at his wife, who is standing next to him and smiles encouragingly. "I think it’s better if I drive.” She says emphatically. A sigh comes from the Uchiha's lips before he hands her the key and approaches the passenger side.
When Sakura drives out, Sasuke realizes that Itachi has already left before them. He lets his fingers tremble restlessly on his knee. He curses every red light internally, while he tries to distract himself and thus either follows the windshield wipers with his eyes, or tries to sing the song from the radio in his head. After minutes that seem like hours, the Haruno stops the car in the hospital parking lot. They get out and run through the rain inside the building. "Where do we have to go?" Sasuke asks, his voice almost failing. "Intensive care unit, third floor, room 115." The pink haired girl says while she is already pressing the call button of the elevator, the doors opening immediately. Inside, the dark eyed man presses the button, not just once. As if it would help him to press the button firmly and often, he presses it until the doors close. Sakura takes his hand and lets him look to his right. She looks at him worriedly. He can see fear in her eyes. Sasuke smiles bravely, crosses his fingers with hers and tries to calm himself down.
When the elevator doors open again, they take a quick look around, looking for signs for stations and room numbers. Then they started moving and walk down the hall to the intensive care unit. The heels of the Haruno reverberate in the empty long hospital corridor. It is a miracle that she hasn’t twisted her ankle by now. They walk past the intensive care nursing station, directly to door 115 in the middle of the aisle. They can’t explain why, but the run across the corridor from the elevator to the room seems to them as if they were running in slow motion. Fear can be seen in the eyes of the two. The moment they stop, they turn their attention through the open glass door and look into the face of the black haired woman. Surrounded by her husband, her eldest son and said son’s wife. Sasuke takes a deep breath before entering the room and pulling Sakura, whose hand he still holds, with him. A big smile lies on the lips of the woman in bed when she sees her youngest son and daughter in law. "You shouldn't have hurried like that. But nice that you are here.“ Her voice sounds. There is nothing left of the collapse. No fatigue or weakness. "You scared the hell out of me, Mikoto." Sakura smiles with relief as she leans forward to hug the black haired woman in greeting. "I'm sorry.” It comes sincerely from the Uchiha. But the Haruno just waves it off.
"Sasuke. You look very tired. Did you go to bed late again? ”Mikoto asks her youngest when he gives her a kiss on the cheek. "No, the weather made me sleep very restlessly." He immediately corrects his mother's guess. She smiles warmly. "You should sleep more.” She says caringly. Then she looks around and sticks to her youngest daughter in law. "I would like to speak to Sakura on my own.” She then explains to her family, while the Haruno sits onto the armchair next to her bed. "You want to talk to her, but you don't want to talk to us?" "I've already spoken to you Itachi. Besides, I don't need to tell you and Misuki anything about marriage anymore. I would also like to talk to you afterwards, Sasuke.“ Mikoto smiles friendly and watches her family as they leave the room. "The blue shirt suits him.” Notes the older of the two women who have remained in the room. "Yes. It does.“ Sakura agrees with a nod and looks closely at her mother in law.
"I knew you are the perfect woman for him.” The black haired woman turns her attention to the young woman next to her bedside. An amused smile lies on the lips of the pinkette. "Because of the shirt?" She explores skeptically and takes another look at her husband, whom she can see through the window, which takes up the whole side of the door, likely so that the nurses can always have a look at the patient as they pass her room. The dark eyed woman laughs softly. "No, I can see it in him. You changed something. You change him and his life to what it used to be. It's... you and your way. You achieve so much with him. Things that I haven’t even dared to dream anymore." Sakura looks attentively into the face of her mother in law and examines her eyes as the older one takes a short break, which shine slightly grey, just like those of her husband. "You are perfect for him. I knew it when I first saw you guys together. You will achieve so much together. I know that.“ Confidence resonates in the voice of the black haired woman as she ends her words with a smile on her lips. A loving smile lies on the lips of the Haruno. "Thank you, Mikoto.” She says, not really knowing what to say else.
The dark grey eyes again focus on the window to the hallway for a moment. “Sasuke may be stubborn at times. Really stubborn. He is just like his father, but then someone like you comes, you wrap him around your finger without him noticing it and sometimes you don't even notice it yourself. He is on the best way to fall in love with you.” A knowing smile is showing up on Mikoto's lips, which normally would appear reddish and now only present themselves in a delicate hint of red. "I hardly think he will ever love me as much as he loves you, Mikoto. He is so anxious for you.“ The younger of the two women says doubtfully. "Yes, he will. He will love you too. He'll be afraid and anxious for you too. It will scare him a lot because he doesn't understand it.” The Uchiha explains with confidence showing in her eyes. A sad smile lies on the lips of the pink haired woman. "But even if he loved me. I could never return it. I'm too afraid to tie myself to someone again and loose him if he then becomes important to me.” Sakura admits and looks at her fingers. "Fear is just the absence of courage, Sakura." Mikoto begins and lets her daughter in law look up. "You needn't be afraid, not of love. Love is something wonderful, unique. Unfortunately, it will always happen that you loose someone important to you, unfortunately this is the cycle of life. But the fear of loss must not come in the way of love.”
The black haired woman sighs softly, pauses for a moment and finally smiles lovingly. "Actually, I don't need to tell you anything about marriage anymore. You are already on the right path, even without my tips and my help. Do not let your path lead you away, you both will bring each other to you destination and lead to a real and happy marriage. If you need help, you can still ask Fugaku.“ Explains the dark grey eyed woman and looks into the green eyes of her daughter in law. The woman in front of her looks confused and skeptical. Somewhat concerned, she looks at them and a hint of fear is visible in them. "Why do you say such a thing, Mikoto? Everything will be fine. You will leave the hospital after all...?“ Sakura wants to sound confident and convinced, but her statement sounds more like a question. Mikoto's lips curl up into a smile again. An encouraging smile, which should take away all her worries, but even if the goal of this smile is exactly that, it lacks the effect. Sakura shakes her head inwardly. It is definitely the hospital, which is already affecting their receptivity and making everything look much worse than it is. A smile forms on her lips, which should encourage herself as well. Everything will be alright.
To the encouraging smile, a sudden gleam appears in the eyes of the black haired woman as she says her next words. "Always take good care of my little stubborn son, Sakura. You are an intelligent, tough, young woman and so strong. So much is still ahead of you and you will achieve a lot of things. You are like a biological daughter to me, the daughter that I never had.“ Mikoto says and gives the impression that she is fighting with tears. The Haruno smiles, touched. "And you have become like a second mother for me. You are like a role model for me. So strong and unshakable, tough, assertive, lively and confident. I have the feeling that you will live on so much longer, be by my side and never leave me alone.” The green eyed woman smiles as she bravely fights against the rising tears. “Sakura, time sometimes goes by very quickly, faster than we would like. I wish Sasuke and you would have met earlier and married for love before I could have arranged this wedding somehow. I wish we had much more time together." Mikoto smiles, a tear showing up in the corner of her eye, which she doesn’t want to let run down her cheek. “Please send Sasuke in."
A small, relieved smile lies on Sasuke's lips as the sliding door closes behind him and he turns his head to the left to look at his mother through the window that runs from one wall of the room to the other. She looks at his wife with a smile, opening her mouth to speak a few words and looks back at him and back at Sakura. "You scared the hell out of me when Sakura told me that Mum broke down. But she is fine, everything seems to be all right.“ The youngest Uchiha lets his hands sink into the pockets of his suit and looks at his father, brother and sister in law. Misuki turns to Itachi and hugs him, as they walk a few steps away from Mikoto's line of sight. Sasuke observes this skeptically before turning to his father, who is facing him. His facial features are neutral, but in his eyes emotions are reflected that he cannot hide. Dull and filled with sorrow and grief, Fugaku’s eyes are on his youngest son. It’s as if he can hear silent screams of despair from his father.
"Sasuke.” Fugaku begins and smiles, a sad smile that doesn't last long on his lips. The oldest Uchiha takes a deep breath and looks briefly at the ground as if looking for the right words. "Appearances are deceptive. Nothing is okay. Your mother is not feeling well.“ He starts again and looks at his son, according to this statement. "W-what? But I can see it. Look at them! She is fine!” Sasuke says insistent and looks briefly at his mother, who is smiling and talking to his wife. "Sasuke. Mikoto has had a headache for three weeks now. From the moment she opens her eyes until she goes to bed in the evening and tries to sleep. She can no longer sleep without sleeping pills and if she does, she sleeps very restlessly or not at all. No tablet she takes helps her. No matter what dose. Not even pain relievers. She is very weak. Walking has been a burden for her in the past few days, as if she’s doing extreme sports. Even keeping her eyes open was a difficulty to her, but she was unable to sleep, which would have been the best thing for her.” Fugaku explains and looks at his wife sympathetically during his explanation. "But now she's fine." The youngest Uchiha throws in, sounding like an unsettled child. "You can see it!" He continues his statement and looks desperately at his mother.
"Sasuke. There is something... which the doctors call ‘the surge’. By this they refer to an energy boost that people have when they are terminally ill. They will feel better before it gets worse and gets really hard. The doctors believe that your mother has just that right now. An energy boost. And this boost of energy… we need to use it to say goodbye.” Towards the end, Fugaku's voice gradually fails. "Then why is everyone putting up those smiling faces?" Sasuke's voice sounds, desperate and stunned. "Because of sakura. Your mother wanted to tell it to her herself. We shouldn't unsettle her if we look so serious." Fugaku explains and smiles gently. “She is something for your mother that she never had.” “No! No. I don’t believe that. No. Mum, will recover from her collapse! I see it!” Desperate but at the same time convinced by his statement, the youngest Uchiha looks back at his mother.
"Sasuke. Her brain pressure has increased ... and there is something that you cannot see.“ Fugaku looks down from his wife to the ground and only slowly into his son's waiting eyes. "Since the collapse earlier, she has been unable to move or feel her feet.” It comes truthful over Fugaku’s lips. Sasuke looks at his mother, struggling and even more desperate, before putting his hand on his mouth and looking at the ground in front of him. "Sasuke. When we heard about the disease, we knew that there is no cure and her life expectancy was only a few months, in rare cases two to three years. Your mother is one of those rare cases of three years, but now she can't fight it anymore. The time has come and we can do nothing anymore. I'm so sorry. I know how important she is to you." With grief he looks away from his son, down to the floor.
Fighting with his composure, Sasuke begins to pace and tries to calm down in the hallway. But when he looks into his mother's smiling face as she speaks to his wife, it's more than difficult for him. His hand finds the way to the bridge of his nose, which he massages and tries to suppress his tears. An inner struggle takes place. Grief fights hope and confidence mercilessly. After a few deep breaths, confidence and hope won the fight and he looks up calmly.
Sasuke goes back next to his father at the window, who smiles at him and shows him that he is not alone with this emotional chaos. In silence, they watch the pink haired woman rise and hug her mother in law before she approaches the door, before she opens it and turns back to her mother in law one last time. "Okay. See you later.” The pink haired girl says with a smile and leaves the room through the sliding door. Her father in law and husband look at her expectantly.
A little shy and with a smile on her lips, she looks at her husband. "Sasuke. Your mother wants to speak to you.” She then raises her voice. Said man nods slowly, caresses her back for a moment and then enters his mother's room through the door, where it is difficult for him to remain brave and not lose his temper. He hesitates on the armchair, next to his mother's bed. "You didn't tell her." Sasuke notes, looking at his hands and up again. He hears his mother take a deep breath. "No. I just couldn't do it and I'm afraid that it will destroy her, that I will just suddenly disappear from her life like her parents did years ago." Mikoto begins and looks at Sakura through the window. “Maybe she could take it better if she knew it before, but I just can't make it. I just don't have the heart to see her cry, not because of me. I can't take it.“ The black haired woman turns her attention back to her son. He sits there, silently listening to her words. "Sasuke, please promise me that you'll be there for her. I know it is a lot to ask, especially since it will be hard for you, but ... be there for her at the beginning and she will be there for you after the first wave of grief because she knows what it's like.“ Mikoto smiles bravely and blinks a few times because of tears threatening to come up. "And please, take away this fear of love from her. My death will only intensify this fear, but please, do everything to take away this fear from her.” His mother ends her plead. Sasuke swallows hard. Death. That was the word he was afraid to hear. But she said it.
"How is that supposed to work? I don't even know myself how this loving is supposed to work.” The youngest Uchiha says amused and looks at his mother attentively. "Don’t worry, it will happen naturally. She'll show you and you will show her, without even noticing it. You two fit together so well.” she replies with a smile. Sasuke sighs. "It's nice that everyone sees it that way, but I don't really think so.” He notes casually, running through his hair with his fingers. "Sometimes she gets you crazy with her attitude, doesn't she?" A small, knowing grin showing on Mikoto's lips. Confused he looks into her eyes, opens his mouth to say something and closes it without saying a word. "I knew it." She smiles contentedly. "Why?" Her son immediately asks a little skeptically. A loving smile lies on his mother's lips. "It's just... like with your father and me. You are so like him. Sakura may not be like me, but it does the same for you as I do for your father.” Mikoto explains, looking at her husband through the window. Sasuke smiles amused and also looks at his father, who is still talking to the Haruno. Mikoto's gaze also falls on the pink haired woman when she raises her voice again. "Sasuke. Please take good care of her. She pretends to be strong, she is, but not always. There are moments when suddenly there is an insecure little girl who doesn't know what to do, doesn't know where to go, feels lost, is afraid and just wants to run away.” She explains and turns her eyes back to her son. He raises an eyebrow questioningly. "And how am I supposed to recognize these moments?" He looks at her skeptically. "You will know when you look at her. You will be able to see it in her eyes and I know that you will do the right thing then.“ She smiles confidently towards him. Her son just snorts. "I will definitely say the wrong thing. Moments like that are not for me." He shakes his head slightly. "Sometimes it doesn't matter if and what you say, Sasuke, but what you do." She smiles lovingly at him. Finally she sighs. "Sasuke, don't hide in the office at work. That doesn't make you happy.“ She says and takes a deep breath.
When he realizes that she has to take a deep breath more and more, his gaze becomes sad when he realizes that she seems to have difficulty breathing over time. “Nothing can make you as happy as loving and being loved by someone. Take a look at Sakura. It will make you happy. I know that.“ She smiles weakly. He looks at his mother skeptically, while he won’t show her how much it’s tearing him apart to see, how difficult it is for her to breathe. But his mother is not influenced by this and laughs. "You are still half-backed, but the day will come when you look at her and know it too. Then you see that it is her who makes you happy.“ She says and takes a deep breath again. "I wish I still had time to see you two getting closer, fall in love and having a marriage, full of happiness and love.” She whispers, unable to stop a tear from running down her cheek.
Sasuke smiles sadly and swallows gently. He sees his mother telling his father to come to her, all only with a look of her eyes. The doors open and Fugaku enters the room and stops next to the bed. "Please, make sure that Sakura is not here when the time comes. I don't want her to see the woman who she thinks as so unshakable and strong, loosing a fight in front of her eyes.” Mikoto says weakly. Fugaku nods, smiling slightly. "I think we should give you a few minutes of rest.” He finally says, letting Sasuke know that he should leave the room. The youngest Uchiha rises and together they leave the room. The pink haired girl stands smiling in front of him and talks to Itachi and Misuki, who have returned from their little stroll.
When her husband and father in law come through the door, she smiles at them. They return the smile with great difficulty, but this does not seem to have the effect they had hoped for. "You all look so tired." The pink haired woman raises her voice and looks at the four around her. She looks briefly at the floor, then through the corridor window out into the dark sky. "I will go and get some coffee. Who wants one?“ She inquires with an encouraging smile. "Nice of you Sakura, but thanks, we don't need anything." Itachi says and shakes his head with a smile. "I would like to take a coffee, thank you Sakura." Fugaku says. "How do you want it?" "Black. Just black.” He answers her question. Sakura turns to look at her husband. "And you?", she examines him briefly while waiting for his answer. "No thanks. I'll be fine.“ He smiles at her slightly. She sighs silently and then nods slowly. "Then I'm looking for the coffee machine or something similar! Could take some time.“ with a smile she turns around and goes back a little way, where there is another elevator. In silence she presses the call button and waits briefly before the elevator comes and she gets into it. When the doors have closed and she can read on the floor display that the elevator is going down, the oldest Uchiha looks at his sons and Misuki. "Let's go to her.” He says sadly. Everyone nods in silence to agree and then re-enters the Uchiha's room, which looks up wearily and smiles slightly, when the head of the family seats himself next to her bed. Sasuke takes another seat and puts it to the other side of her mother to sit onto it, while Itachi and Misuki decide to just stand next to Fugaku.
Sakura sighs and looks at the floor display of the elevator. It took her an hour to get this coffee, which she holds in her hand. With her skills, she naturally got lost on the ground floor and suddenly stood in front of the operating door. So she kept wandering around until she found a sister and asked for directions. When she arrived at the cafeteria, it was overcrowded and she had to orientate herself again, while she was looking for the in-house coffee shop and of course, when she found it, there was of course a long line as well. She sighs again, as lucky as she had been at the first time, on the way back she got lost again. It's actually a miracle that the coffee in the coffee mug in her hand is even still warm. Waiting, she looks at the display. Somehow it feels like the elevator is slower than an hour ago. The pink haired woman shakes her head at her thoughts. Of course it is not. She is only confused because of the stress and sudden concern for Mikoto and the many confusing hallways of the hospital. Besides, there is still this gloomy weather and probably she didn't sleep too well at night either. Actually, she wouldn't be surprised. After all, sometimes the thought of a day like this is enough and her heart becomes heavy. It's just days like this.
A short, bright tone shows that she has reached the desired floor. Slightly smiling, she enters the hall and overcomes the few steps to her mother in law's room. She immediately sees the doctor and the nurse in it, but she doesn't worry too much about it. She sighs again while examining the floor in front of her. When she comes to a stop at the door and it opens, a high, even tone can be heard from the room. She looks up again. Directly on the square screen next to the bed, which makes a sound and only shows a continuous line. Shocked, she lets go of the coffee mug. It feels like hours, in a film this scene would now be shown in slow motion, until the cup hits the bottom. The mug breaks and the warm, brown liquid spread over the floor. Her eyes slide over those present in the room. Towards Fugaku, Misuki and Itachi, who turned to her with a sad look, she then looks at her husband, who loosens his hand from the bridge of his nose and slowly looks up at her. And at the next few words, she turns and runs away. "Time of death 4:23 pm."
Sasuke immediately jumps up and runs after her, sees how she slides through between the closing doors of the elevator. His legs automatically move and hurry to the elevator with which they came. When he arrives, he sees the numbers above the elevator increasing. He runs towards the stairs and immediately down to the second floor, the first and the ground floor. When he runs out to the elevator lobby and looks down the corridor, he can already see his wife, who is holding her hand over her mouth and hurrying in his direction. He can see the tears in her eyes and the wet marks on her cheeks. She doesn't even seem to have realized that she is running towards him. When she was just a little more than an arm's length away from him, he slightly raises his arms and lets her collide with his chest. The next moment his arms close around her, one hand resting on her head and stroking it gently and the other tightly laying around her waist. Nobody says a word. Sakura stares at the blue shirt and black suit with puffy eyes, as his scent pours into her nose and she recognizes whoms chest she is leaning against. She silently suppresses the sobs as she presses herself more against his chest and lets her fingers cling to his suit. His eyes wander desperately and baselessly through the corridor, just to bend his head down to hide his face in her hair so that no one can take part in his facial expressions and hopelessness. It is their sobs that make both of their bodies shake.
It's days like this that scare us, worry, don't let us sleep, and moments like this make us fall silent. Sometimes forever...
