Sakura walked down the dark, moonlit hallway until the familiar hospital room was in sight. She politely knocked on the door until a voice beckoned her to come in.

"Sakura, right?" Itachi smiled as the girl sheepishly grinned and walked in, shutting the door behind her, "no Sasuke today? Hold on, shouldn't you be out swimming? The Olympics are coming up pretty quick."

"Well..." She moved to sit in the chair that Sasuke sat in just the other day, "no one knows I'm here. And I just came back from practice. I stayed after longer so no one could follow me here."

"Ooh, you're also the rebellious type." Itachi nodded in approval, "you and Sasuke would be--"

"Aha, ah, no that's not what I came to talk about. I doubt the two of us would ever happen." Sakura muttered, "but I did mean to ask what's been going on with him. I mean, what'd you say to him? He was so uncertain of himself at practice yesterday and today, after visiting with you. What'd you tell him? It couldn't have been about me, could it?"

"No, no, not at all." Itachi grinned, "though, I did tell him that you two would--"

"Yeah, yeah, besides that."

Itachi leaned his head back onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling, as if the answer to her question was written there. Then he chuckled, "don't worry about it. Sasuke's just being a sore loser. You see, we placed bets and all. Nothing for you to worry about. I mean, you could go talk to him. I don't know how much good that'll do ya."

"Yeah..." Sakura picked at her finger nails, "did you ever know why he's swimming? Why he's competing?"

"Yup. He's told me endless times. In fact, he'd always come to tell me how his swimming's going, how he's ready to bring home the gold and bring me the money. Ha, I told him not to waste it on me, but the boy's so selfless." Itachi laughed loudly.

"Heh..." Sakura rolled her eyes, "I always thought it was the other way... Selfish sounds more like it."

Itachi toned down his laughter and inhaled, "Sasuke's told me about you, before you met me. Hell, before you two even met."

"What?"

"He's known you. I mean, as 'Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake's number one and most devoted student'. I think that's what he said." Itachi stroked his non-existent beard wisely, "he really admires you, to be honest."

"Sasuke does? That's almost impossible to believe..."

"Not really." Itachi held back a laugh, "you're the one that hated him, not the other way around. You were actually who mainly inspired him to start swimming. It wasn't entirely me. And he always raved to me that he hopes someday, he could 'get in the same water as you'. I don't know if he meant that metaphorically or literally, but I think it's happened only literally."

"Heh. Wow." Sakura smiled, "I had no idea how much he's suffered in his childhood. You know, I was kinda the same. My parents abandoned me when I was little, and so I had to live with my aunt and uncle, who really didn't have much. There were very few things I loved in life, and since then, even today, swimming is my life. I have no idea where I'd be without it. And I didn't even know I really was that popular. Popularity was never really a number on priority for me. It's just winning the gold that matters to me."

"Well." Itachi smirked, "you've definitely caught the attention of a certain Uchiha that isn't me."

"I guess so." Sakura stood up, "well, I gotta go. I need to go talk to a certain Uchiha that isn't you and apologize."

"What for?"

"I did say a lot of things to him that were totally, completely out of line." Sakura sighed, "I couldn't thank you enough, Itachi."

"Oh please, don't mention it. Just telling you what I need to tell you." Itachi smiled sadly, "but, you wanna thank me? Take my little brother out on a date."

"Yeah, sorry. That won't be happening." Sakura rolled her eyes, "thank you again, Itachi!"

Sakura started making her way to the door, until Itachi called out to her, "wait, Sakura!"

"Yeah?"

He was silent, then smiled, "please... Make Sasuke happy."

"Oh..." Sakura nodded and grinned, "okay."

As she left, Itachi gazed out the window and smiled. My work here is done. Now I can rest peacefully knowing that there'll be someone to keep Sasuke in check when I'm gone... Too bad I won't be seeing her for a really long while...

___________________

"Sasuke! Open up!" Sakura knocked continuously on her roommate's door, "Sasuke!"

"Geez..." Sasuke murmured as he opened the door, finally, "what is it? It's late, and we have practice tomorrow..."

"Not that you'd care, you lazy-ass." Sakura rolled her eyes, "listen, I need to talk to you."

She pushed past him and stood in the living room as Sasuke shut the door, "okay, what about?"

Sakura inhaled, then exhaled slowly as she turned around to face him. He'd crossed his arms and was waiting expectantly, "I'm sorry."

"You've already apologized. What's this all of a sudden?"

"I had no idea that you actually knew who I was even before I found out about you. All the things I've said are wrong, and not only did the things you do leave a bad impression, but the things I said to you left a bad impression as well. So I just want to wipe the slate clean and start things over."

Sasuke chuckled a little, "what's this all of a sudden? You've already apologized like this before, like I said, so I don't get why you gotta go back through and do it all over again."

"Because I feel like my first apology was a fluke. I want you to get your head back down to earth. We've got swimmingto do. I really mean it, with my whole heart. I just need to get this off my chest. After I went to talk to Itachi, I felt horrible that--"

"Wait." Sasuke cut her off, "you went to talk to Itachi?"

"Of course."

"Wh-what..." He looked away, "what did he tell you?"

"He told me about you. And how he wants me... He wants me to make you happy. So that's what I'm trying to do. You've been so out of it, and I need you to come back to us! To train hard like you did before!"

"But..." Sasuke pursed his lips, pain pounding at his chest, "I can't... If there's no reason for it."

"What do you mean, 'no reason'? Aren't you swimming for Itachi? If you just give it all up, he's not going to--"

"What's the point if--!" Sasuke yelled, then stepped back, "sorry... I... I didn't mean to raise my voice at you..."

"Sasuke, talk to us! Talk to me! Clearly something is holding you back, and I want to help you!"

"No one knows... And..." Sasuke gritted his teeth, "last time I visited Itachi... When you were with me..."

He shut the door once Sakura left, "well?"

"She's a really nice girl." Itachi grinned, "I think she's definitely a keeper. I always hoped you'd meet someone that could take care of you when I'm gone."

Sasuke shook his head, "what do you mean? You're perfectly fine! You act like you're not even sick with anything. You're not going anywhere, I'll make sure of that. Once I win--"

"Sasuke. Give it up." Itachi's tone went dead. All energy was out of the room, "listen to me, and listen well. I want you to depend on Sakura. She'll be in charge of you from now on."

"What? What are you saying?"

"I trust her. She's your soulmate, and I would give anything for you two to be together, because I can see you both being very happy together. So forget about me, and I want you to make Sakura happy. Do you understand?"

"Itachi..." Sasuke grabbed his brother's shoulders, "I don't believe you... I won't! This... I'll spend every penny of my life's savings on your treatment!"

"Save it, Sasuke. I've lived long enough. It's you that needs the money. How are you going to take care of yourself if you wasted all your money on me?"

"No... Itachi, you can't... You need to see me win this gold... For you, for mother, for..."

"I'm sorry little brother but..." Itachi poked Sasuke's forehead, "maybe next time..."

Sasuke stepped out into the hallway and let the door shut dully behind him.

"Sasuke! I swear, if you two were..."

Sakura... Sasuke felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered his brother's words.

I want you to make Sakura happy.

"Sasuke? You okay?"

"Y... Yeah of course. Ah, Itachi... Just needs to get his beauty sleep. You know, he looked really pasty today because he was up all night watching a game. He's dumb that way. We should go back to the pool and get some swimming in. We can't be slacking on our day off, ya know?" Sasuke managed a smile as he hurried past her and towards the exit. His chest hurt and his eyes were getting watery.

Damn... He wiped his eyes. I can't let Sakura see... I don't need her to worry about all this... If she does... She won't be happy, and... Sasuke's thoughts ran wild as he stepped out of the hospital.

"Itachi..."

"Sasuke?" Sakura's voice snapped him back from his flashback, "Sasuke, are you okay?"

"Sakura..." His voice cracked, "Itachi's dying."

Silence.

"It always seemed like he was getting better, but..." Sasuke muttered, "that's his thing. He doesn't want anyone to worry. He compensates for the pain the meds drown out by making everyone else around him happy. I refused to see him after that visit..."

Sakura covered her mouth as tears fell from her eyes, "no way..."

"I..." Sasuke turned to her and looked into her eyes, "you didn't need to know. You could've just been happy, like I was told to do. But..."

"Sasuke, you're in pain." Sakura's voice was weak, "but you're not alone. You can't shoulder all the pain on your own."

"But... The Olympics... I know how much they mean to you..."

"My teammates are worth more to me than gold." Sakura cried, "your happiness is my responsibility now, and I know Itachi would never forgive me if I ever left you in the darkness like this."

Sasuke pursed his lips as he walked up to her and wrapped his arms tight around her. She hugged him tight as her fists clenched the cloth of his shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke..."

"I am too..." Sasuke stroked her hair as she cried into his chest, "I am too..."

_____________________

Hey, Sasuke. And Sakura, too, I suppose.

I trust you two will be very happy together. I give you both my blessing.

Sakura.

Please don't ever forget that Sasuke is fragile, a hot-headed mess, and snores loudly at night. Actually, that last part may not be true. But he does talk in his sleep. Keep that in mind. I knew from the moment I met you in person that you're the one that I can trust to hand my little brother over to. Don't push him around too hard, but trust me, he could definitely use a lot of stern talking-to's. Try not to spoil him too much, but he loves a good chastising. Beat him up good if he ever hurts you.

Sasuke.

Don't you dare hurt Sakura in any way. If you do, I will come back to haunt you every night. Ask her out on a date already, you big dummy. Don't you think you've played around with enough girls already? Well, I think you should tell Sakura about your complicated love life on your own. Do what Sakura tells you, I shouldn't have to tell you that, but just to be sure. Sakura deserves better than you, to be honest. But I know you. And I think you could become better. Sakura will make you better. I just know it.

Most of my life, ever since our Mother died, I've been looking for a girl to take care of Sasuke when I die. I've known that I was getting weaker and weaker, but I didn't let that get in the way of keeping everyone happy. (But yes, Sasuke, that's what I was doing on Tinder. Those girls weren't for me)

When Sasuke just wouldn't shut up about a girl with green eyes and pink hair, I just knew that if she could make my brother this happy, then she has to be the one. When I finally meet her, she's definitely who I needed and so much more. Thanks, Sakura.

My dying wish for you both is that you both may learn to make each other very happy. Don't mourn over me for too long. If you're both crying, what good will that do either of you? Get back in the water and keep swimming. You both are going to take home the gold together.

PS: Sasuke, you need something to swim for, right? Well, if you want to keep Sakura happy, I would reckon you should already have something to swim for. I thought you were crazy, saying you were swimming for me. After all this time...

Swim for Sakura.

Don't cry, I could already feel the tears on this letter, you crybaby, Sasuke.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go join Mother. Take your time in coming, too, Sasuke, Sakura. Mother would love to meet you, too, but just not yet. You both have a long ways to go.

(After this whole letter, you two had better get married, now :P)

I love you both

Itachi