Chapter 1:
Sakura walked home from a tiring day at work. She was currently 17 and one of the top docters at the hospital, well beside Tsunade of course. She opened up the door, and walked into the lonely house, for one lived there but her.
She kicked off her shoes by the door, and sat down her house keys on the kitchen table, on the way up stairs. Quietly walking into her bathroom, she undressed and got in the shower. As she washed all the dirt and dust away, she thought about that day she had.
She had 3 checks up, two adults and a little girl, in the morning, then she had lunch with Naruto at the local ramen shop, as she always does when he's not on a mission. Once she got back to work, a shinobi had been brought in due to the fact that he had aquired numerous cuts and busies from a recent mission.
Afterwards, she had the cursed paperwork. Everyday at around 3, Tsunade called her into her office, and begged her to do paperwork. Tsunade absoluatly hated it, so she tried to pawn it off on anyone near. Everyone was use to this, and would steer clear of her office, so Shizune and Sakura, her loyal students and followers, were always stuck with it. After she finished most of it, she went back to the hospital, and check on things here and there, until the other docters and nurses grew annoyed at her constant survillance, and assured her that everything was fine, as they shoved her out into the cold and dark night.
Then she'd walk home alone, and realized just how tired she was, barely making it in the shower before she passed out on her big and empty bed. This went on day after day, week after week, month after month. So of course after she finished showering, she went straight to sleep.
UNTIL..........
Sakura was wasn't in a deep sleep, she knew that, because if she was then she couldn't have heard the faint rustle of her window being open. But she still wasn't awake enough to realise someone was coming into her house uninvited. No, she didn't wake up to that, but instead, she woke up when she felt a hand lightly move her hair out of her face.
Her eyes flew open, and she saw a shadowy figure looming over her. She was about to scream, when a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Sssshhhhh," The shadow figure whispered, assuring her frightened form. Then the figure just said, "please do not scream, I am not here to scare or kill you."
Sakura just laid there motionless. For some reason, this person's voice sounded oddly familar, and maybe if Sakura was awake more it wouldn't have tooken awhile to realise who it was
The shadow figure continued, " I just wanted to tell you, it's finally done."
Sakura made a noise that sounded like " huh?"
"He's finally dead, Sakura."
Sakura's eyes widened as she realised who it was that stood over her bed. At once she stared talking, but only mumbled words could be heard, for the hand was still over her mouth. She stop talking, waiting patiently for him to remove his hand, that blocked her speach
The figure, realising that his hand was still over she mouth, heistated. " Please promise me you won't scream."
Sakura nodded her head. After a moment, the hand fell from her mouth. But she stayed silent, tring to get her head unscambled. She wanted to ask him so many things, and didn't know when to start.
"You were talking up a storm when I couldn't hear you," The figure replied tartly. "What wrong know."
"I just, I can't believe your back." Sakura whispered. " You're really back, Sasuke."
As Sakura gazed at him, she could see there was blood on his outfit. Well actually there was blood all over him.
"Would you like a shower." Sakura offered, not thinking.
"What?" Sasuke asked confused.
"Do you want a shower?" Sakura replied slowly.
Sasuke just stared at her. "I always treated you disrespectfully, left you when we were younger, knocked out on a bench, and just now I broke into your home, and what do you do, offer me a shower."
"So is that a yes." Sakura replied, starting to get out of bed, but sasuke grabbed her arm.
"I do not want a bath." Sasuke growled. "First I want to know why your not screaming your head off right know. You use to be more sensible, when you were in danger."
"Am I in danger Sasuke." Sakura asked queitly. As soon as she said it, he looked taken back, and all the emotions she had felt when he lefted just started coming out. She swung her legs over the bed and left them dangling as she came inches away from Sasukes' face. She asked, "Should I be afraid? So Sasuke, how are you gonna hurt me this time? Are you gonna kill me, Sasuke? Or leave me again? Cause I much rather prefer you killing me.A knife through the heart, either physically or emotionally, hurts just the same. Though in the long run physical is always bett-"
She stop. As she gazed at Sasuke's face, she saw a single tear go down his face. Slowly she brought her hand up to wipe it away, and placed it gentally on his cheek. That's when he spoke.
"I'm so sorry. I had to leave," he pleaded. "I had to get stronger."
"Lair." She spoke. Sasuke slowly brought his hand up to cover Sakura's own hand. "You didn't have to leave. You could have gotten stronger here. Love is always more powerful then hate, or so I'm told."
"You wrong," he whipsered. 'You wouldn't believe how much stronger i've become through the hate I have harbored."
Saukra scowled at Sasuke. She withdrew her hand and stood up, standing right in front of him. He was still sereval inches taller then her, but that didn't stop her. She streched up on her tiptoes and kissed him, as passionatly as she could master.
He seemed surpised at first, but slowly relaxed. After what seemed like enternity, Sakura withdraw, and brought her head up to his ear. She lightly whispered, "Please tell me that that wasn't more powerful then the hatred you have inside you now."
She stepped back, and turned toward her closet. Slowly she walked to it, and pulled out the outfit she planned to wear tomorrow, or today. She wans't sure how late it was. She then headed for the door, but before she crossed it's threshold, she stopped.
"I won't tell no one your here. But right now I need fresh air. I won'tbe back till late tomorrow night. There's food in the kitchen, but I'm not sure about clothing, though you can use my washing machine if you like. It doesn't matter wether you leave or stay, but I suggest you stay out of sight."
She walked silently out in to the hallway. She did need fresh air, but she really didn't want to leave. But she knew he needed time to think, comprehend what had happened, and she hope he would realize that the love in the kiss she had given him, was pure, true love. Love that she had keeped inside, patiently waiting for him to return.
As she walked along the lonely road, she pondered about the nights events. She never heard why Sasuke was back. All she knew was, Sasuke had killed him. Itachi Uchiha. His brother, and tormentor. The reason for Sasuke's hatred. He was dead. Sakura smirked. To her, Itachi had been more stronger then anyone she knew. Stronger then Orochimaru, who had killed the third hokage. Stronger then her teacher, the one who could never be beaten. Stronger then Sasuke, the strongest person she knew. Itachi had tortured Sasuke with the memories of his dreadful childhood, tried many of times to kill Naruto, even put her dearly beloved sensei, Kakashi, into a coma.
KAKASHI!!!!!! Sakura thought. He would know what to do. NO!!!! I can't tell him about Sasuke. No. Kakashi would probably be one of the first to try and kill him. If anyone was more angrier then Sakura, at Sasuke's betrayal, it was Kakashi. What to do then?
Sakura looked up. The best thing she could do right now is find out what time it is. Yes. She needed to be at the hospital, as the night shift changed to day shift, usually around 5:30. Well, she could go the the hospital now, and check on the time, help if needed, then wait until day shift changed, and get straight to work.
She looked around. No one was out, and only faint lighting could be seen in the surrounding houses. She glanced at the roofs. When they were younger, Naruto had introduced an exiciting way to travel. He had showed her the rooftops of Konoha. She had never really thought about it before, and of course Naruto had, he had to have an easy way to escape trouble. They use to play games on the rooftops, like hide and seek, tag, and chase. Naruto had been very fast, but Sakura was no slowpoke either.
After they matured more, Sakura realized, they didn't play games as much. Of course Naruto offered, but Sakura was always to busy following Sasuke, and then they'd all train or go on missions together. Then Sasuke ran away to Orochimaru, Naruto went to train with jairaya, and Sakura was learning under Tsunade. And when Naruto came back, they went on more missions, trained more, worked more, and looked for Sasuke more. They did everything more, instead of having fun.
But a ninja's life is never fun, is it? Sakura thought silently. She sprang up unto the nearest roof, and looked around. She spotted the hospital's faimilar structure awhile away,she started at full speed toward it. The wind blew her short rosy hair into her face, but she didn't care. Always to kill, be killed, or have someone you love killed.
She thought of Shikamaru. After Asuma died, he had stayed in his house all day, and smoke. The only time he came out, was to buy some ciggerettes, and check on kurenai and her unborn baby. For 7 months, only the shopclerk, and kurenai saw him, and kurenai didn't count, cause she had shut her self in as well. Then one day, Ino got mad, and barged in on Shikamaru. No one knows what happened, or what was said, but the next day, Ino and Shikamaru were walking around town talking. Sakura figured Ino fussed him out, and got him to open up. A little while later, Shikamaru talked to Kurenai, and got through. Sakura sees her every oncein awhile, at the hospital, and her and her baby are doing fine. Shikamaru is hardly ever seen inside. He's always with Ino now.
She thought of Konohamaru. When Tsunade first became the fifth hokage, he blamed everyone for forgetting his grandfather. But Tsunade and Naruto explained that no one dies truthfully. Everyone lives on in the memories of the people who loved them. He finally execpted Tsunade as the fifth hokage.
And lastly, she thought of Tsunade. Strong, arrogant Tsunade. She had lost her brother and her lover, and became afraid of blood. She couldn't work as a medic-nin no more, so she ran. She fled away from her fears, but then had to face them full throttle when Orochimaru came for her. But she overcame her fear, and is now one of the strongest ninja in the village.
One last roof, and WHOOSH. She landed gracefully on the ground infront of the hospital. She fell back, unto the wall, breathing heavily. She smiled. She was pumped now. Even though she didn't know what time it was, she was wide awake. Placing one hand beside, she gently pushed her self up, and looked around. Though the windows, yep, it was still night shift. She had meet, and more then likely employed, all of the medic-nin and she knew which one worked which shift. She took a step forward, and froze. She was still in her pajamas. CRAP! She looked around. Well, no one is out here.
She ducked behind a tall trash can, and stripped down. A breeze tickled her uncovered stomach. She quickly shimmed up her skirt, and tugged down her shirt. She fastened her belt acrossed her waist. Running her finger though her hair, she frown. She probably looked frighten. She dug around in her pockets, until she found it. It was a small, plain black compact mirror, Ino had given her on her last birthday. She opened it up, and peered in.
Her hair was mildily ruffled. She wore no make-up, so her face was normal. She didn't even look tired. She wasn't as bad as she thought, but she wanted better.
Too bad, Sakura thought silently. There was no way in h*ll that she was gonna walk back into her house, just to brush her hair, and fix herself up. Sasuke needed time to think. Heck. She needed time to think.
She closed the mirror and replaced in back into her pocket. Walking out from behind the trash can, she straightened any ruffled clothing, and then, confidently, she strode into the hospital.
