Holding Her Last Breath: Just 3 Days

Hey guys! A lot of my readers have been looking forward to the release of this, so I decided "Why not?" since I'm going to be busy probably up until the 15th. Which means you guys won't get anything until after that date. . Gomen!

I'd also like to say, that if you haven't already, the first series of my one-shot releases, Run Away With Me, My Blossom is out! Feedback is appreciated :).

This is actually the first fic I ever made, this is where I got most of my ideas for Will You Let Me Go, Sakura? And the Sequel to it, I Just Can't Let You Go, Sasuke! This one I believe has a lot more drama, but I'm sure you'll like it ;).

This is rated M for the some of the…suggestive things in here XD. I tried to edit it this best I can and put it in T, but…eh.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Period. The inspiration comes from a movie called Three Days, so I can't take full credit for the plot either :)

Supporting pairings are: NaruxHina, NejixTen (these 2 will always be in my SasuxSaku stories), ShikaxIno and KibaxOC (Kiba needs love too .)

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"Would it be alright…if I died in your arms tonight…please Sasu…ke-kun…?"

The man awoke; sweat beading down his face and neck as he jerked into a sitting position. He looked around his spacious room located in the Uchiha mansion. Like every night, he had had the same nightmare. Unable to sleep, he walked out of his room, searching the entire mansion- as he did every night; hoping to find some sign of life.

But he knew better. There was no one.

No one.

Instead of returning to his room he sat down on one of the place mats in the cold room of the kitchen. The man ran a hand through his unruly raven hair with a sigh as he leaned on the low table. How long had it been since that fateful night? The sole Uchiha no longer kept track of time, days. They became pointless variables in his life.

But of course, nothing mattered anymore. Perhaps he was mad? Could they blame him though? How could someone-anyone remain sane if the woman they loved died in their arms-

And there was nothing you could do to save her…

He covered his tired eyes with worn hands and allowed himself to be engulfed in the darkness. The cold and gloomy kitchen faded away, and the deafening sound of the thunder outside became soundless as the memories flooded back to him again. How many times would he have to re-live this memory before they became the death of him?

Sharingan eye swirled angrily. His emotions were puzzling him. Why was he so angry that this man, his former comrade- Kabuto, had hurt her, touched her? This woman with weird pink hair and glowing green eyes, who at first annoyed him to no end? The only woman to ever have healed him, stayed with him…loved him with all her being…?

Because he could deny it no longer. Uchiha Sasuke was in love with a woman; his former teammate…Haruno Sakura.

And now, he was afraid that he had realized it too late.

His vision became blurred with fury, wanting nothing more than to murder the man underneath his feet. His head was smashed into the dirt. This man, having nerve to move, forced his head to turn to spit out the dirt and blood. Confused, angry eyes demanded many things such as his motive for killing him, but they were ignored as the raven haired man crushed his skull. The squelch and crunching of the bones reverberated throughout the snow covered forest.

Quickly, he turned his attention to the pink-haired woman with horror. Her body was crumpled in the snow. One of her arms were wrenched in an odd angle; obviously broken. Gashes and cuts were visible on her normally creamy skin; blood stained and tattered bits of cloth was the remainder of her clothing. Her normally beautiful bubblegum colored hair was spattered with dirt, and the corners of her mouth spilled blood.

He walked toward her slowly, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

"S-Sasuke…kun…you came to save me…" she told him a frail yet happy tone when he knelt beside her .After ignoring her writhing, choked yelps and pleas to be put down, he scooped her up into his arms, now being able to see the crimson colored snow where her body had lain.

"Sakura-why didn't you call for help…?" He demanded in a coarse tone, ignoring her words. Panic set in.

She was dying-dying.

She turned to look at the night sky, filled with stars and falling snow. "I- didn't want to burden anyone…it's almost Christmas Eve after all…"

"We have to get you to a hospital." He told her but looked at her wildly, unable to understand when she shook her head. But the look in her eyes was all the answer he needed. She was going to be dead before morning. No matter what he did.

"I-I'm surprised, Sasuke-kun. All this time….I thought I was just a nuisance to you." Sakura told him weakly, wiping the corners of her mouth. "You're delirious. I loved…your company" He told her in a low tone as he touched her face.

She smiled at this, yet he could tell she was growing weaker and weaker with every spoken word. How was she still alive and able to talk? "A-Arigato…that means a lot to me." Bloody tears fell down the side of her face yet the weak smile remained. "Even if- I wasn't that good of a girlfriend- I can die happy."

"Happy?" Sasuke repeated. She nodded. "Because…I healed you."

Even though she had lived with him, he couldn't remember a time he had told her he loved her. It was just lust and the painful desire to restore his clan, but she never complained about it and welcomed him with open arms. And he was grateful. He couldn't name one person that could put up with him for as long as she did. Not even Naruto.

"Don't talk anymore, we have to do something…I just can't let you…" But his voice trailed off, unable to finish his sentence, and unable to stare down at the beautiful emerald orbs he would never see again. The arm that had not been broken reached up and touched his face. "Call me selfish but…would it be alright…if I died in your arms tonight… please Sasu…ke-kun?" Sakura asked him frailly.

Sasuke swallowed awkwardly, trying to think or something, anything to coax her into letting him save her, but he knew it was in vain so he nodded slightly, looking up at the crescent moon above.

"It's so pretty…" she murmured, barely able to mouth the words. "Can…you kiss me…? One last time…?"

Honoring her request, Sasuke took her unbroken hand and leaned down to give her the gentlest kiss he could give her so it wouldn't hurt. Yet as chaste as it was it took what breath she had left. It had been what she was waiting for her entire life.

"A-Arigato…for…carin…g." she told him before her eyelids started to shield her jade eyes from the world. A single tear trickled down her cheek before her hand fell limp to its side.

Sasuke could no longer hold back his tears. He hadn't cried this hard even when his clan was massacred. In fact, he had not shed one tear since then. He had vowed that he wouldn't cry ever again because it showed a sign of weakness, and that wouldn't help him avenge his clan.

The obsidian-eyed man glanced at the calendar near the sink. A bitter smirk appeared on his lips. No wonder every detail of that night came back to him.

Tomorrow was the anniversary ofthat fateful night.

The anniversary of when his blossom was taken from him. It was his fault and his alone that she was dead. After that day, Sakura never left his thoughts. Sasuke cursed himself that he couldn't save her. And every day the same thought prowled through his mind; if he had just one more chance, if only but a day left to spend with her, he'd make her the happiest woman in the world.

Although Sakura had moved in with him, he had not once opened up to her let alone treated her like she was more than a toy that could satisfy his desires. But she didn't once complain. And always had a bright smile on her face as if nothing was wrong. So he never knew. Nor did he try.

But through the smile, he never realized she was dying inside. He never opened up, never stopped to think if she knew how much he cared for her it would make her day-make her year. But no, instead she thought she was a nuisance to him. Sasuke later found out she had worked herself to the bone as well. And it made him deeply regret not treating her how she should've been treated; loved and desired- not just in the bedroom but every waking hour of the day.

If only he hadn't let her go that night…

"Sasuke-kun, I'm going on a quick scouting mission. You can even start dinner without me." She told him as she put on her kunai satchel. Without even looking at her he 'hn'ed, Sakura looked at the back of his head with a sad look before putting on a fake smile. "I'll be back really soon. You won't even miss me."

He didn't answer her that time, she took that as a signal to leave as she wiped away a single tear and walked out the door. He didn't realize that that was the last time he'd really see her before her death.

Even though she looked content when she died, Sasuke wasn't. He hit the table angrily and held his head in his hands. If he had only been a little faster…if only-

If only…

-

-

-

"Teme, you need therapy." His blonde friend told him in frustration. He had forced Sasuke to get out of his house for the first time since Sakura had died to get ramen.

"I mean you're always saying that you regret Sakura-chan's death and you blame yourself for it! Well guess what, it's not your fault! And besides teme- you said that she looked content when she died so what's the problem?! You should take that into consideration-"Naruto had yelled at him. Though the blonde had grown taller, slightly more mature, and more attractive (to women, he was even dating Hyuuga Hinata). But in the end, Uzumaki Naruto was still the same goofy, short-tempered male Sasuke grew up with.

Sasuke glared at him angrily. It was unlike any glare he had ever given Naruto; a glare that could make your blood run cold. It made him freeze up and shut his mouth, realizing that he had just pissed Sasuke off to a new height.

The anger hid the great sadness in his cold obsidian eyes as he stood up and grabbed Naruto by the shirt. "You don't know what it feels like to lose someone- to watch them being murdered before your eyes again. Don't you see you dobe?! If I had been a little sooner, she might be alive right now!" he hissed through his teeth.

"Look at yourself! You look like you haven't been able to sleep right since she died! And that was almost a month ago! I'm sad that's she's gone too. But would Sakura-chan like you to be miserable like this?!" he yelled back.

"Did you even see her body before they cleaned her up?? You'll never understand what I'm going through because you've ALWAYS been alone, Naruto!!" Sasuke yelled at him angrily.

Naruto couldn't say anything at first and lowered his head. "Your right, I haven't seen someone I love die before my eyes. But you're wrong if you think that I've always been alone because I met you guys; Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, you, Sakura-chan and everyone. I'm even dating Hinata-chan! But don't you think Sakura-chan would be sad if she saw you moping around like this?"

"He has a point, nii-chan." Said a sly voice beside them, the two turned their heads to look. Naruto's jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes got as wide as dinner plates. The person who had spoken was a busty woman with strawberry blonde hair and eyes yellow like the sun. She wore a halter top that showed her cleavage which Naruto noticed immediately, but her bust was so big, it looked as if her shirt would rip. The rest of her outfit was a black mini skirt and boots reaching her shins.

Although Naruto was practically drooling over her, Sasuke wasn't impressed. He didn't like the woman and thought of her as nothing more than a common street whore. Sakura didn't have the biggest breasts, but definitely by far the most beautiful.

The woman winked at Sasuke and started to walk over to him. She pressed against him. "I couldn't help but overhear your predicament. Is there anything I can do to make you…'happy'?"

Without flinching Sasuke looked at her coldly. "Get off me."

The woman frowned but then smiled again. "Gomen, I must be crushing you…they're just so big. I can't lay on my stomach at night because they'll cut off my airway." She said stretching some of her words erotically.

Sasuke said nothing, obviously unaffected. If anything, he was disgusted. "I'm Kotetsu Inari. It's a pleasure to meet you, Uchiha Sasuke-san." Sasuke stared at her through small slits. "Can't say I feel the same."

"Mh, you're the famous Uchiha aren't you? You must be so cold blooded because you haven't had a woman to 'warm you up' in awhile. Is that what you need?" she asked rubbing against him. Naruto just stood there, jaw still dropped. He couldn't understand why Sasuke didn't just take this woman home with him! She had the biggest rack he'd seen since Tsunade! But comparing it in his mind, Inari's was definitely bigger.

"I don't need a wench like you." He told her coldly and bent closer to her ear. "So get lost." The woman frowned this time for real. "You're like an iceberg; so cold and hard to crack. I'm sure the woman who left you would be happy you're still faithful to her. Ah well, do you need a woman's touch, nii-chan?" she asked Naruto seductively walking towards him.

Naruto noticed her chest bouncing lightly with every step she took. He had to try hard not to drool and control himself. I-I can't be unfaithful to Hinata-chan!

"What's the matter, nii-chan? Cat got your tongue?" She told him with a wink.

Sasuke grabbed one of the woman's shoulder roughly. "He's already taken." He told her pressing on her should roughly. "Ow, that hurts- are YOU his lover, Sasuke-kuuun? That would explain why you don't want me." She whined to him.

This made him angry. He grabbed her neck, threatening to strangle her. The tomoe in his crimson eyes began to whirl wildly. "Don't ever call me that again, wench." He warned. Naruto had to pry his hands off of her as she gasped for air.

"Sasuke-teme what the hell are you doing?!" he demanded. The woman stumbled back, coughing as she held her neck. "You should know why." Sasuke growled at him as he pulled away from Naruto's grasp and walked out of the shop, almost knocking over Hinata.

"N-Naruto-kun, what's with Sasuke-san?" Hinata asked grabbing his hand. He looked down at her. "This woman called him 'Sasuke-kun' and he went completely ballistic and started strangling her! Maybe he NEEDS that therapy after all…"

Hinata looked shocked, and then turned her attention to the woman. She bowed "P-Please excuse our friend. He lost someone he deeply cared about not long ago. She- Sakura used to call him that, he wouldn't respond to anyone else- at least those w-who called him that-but her. It's not your fault… h-he's just emotionally disturbed right now."

"Hmm, so she's dead?" Inari asked, sitting down to listen to the shy girl Naruto was holding. She nodded. "She was murdered in the line of duty b-but he blames himself for her death."

"Could you say…that he loved this…Sakura?" the woman asked. Naruto looked at the woman and began to feel uneasy. This woman was asking too many questions about their friends, and he didn't like it. The blonde's hold on Hinata tightened as he frowned at Inari.

"Sakura-chan was special to him." He sighed almost sadly. "Teme would probably give HIS life if it meant bringing her back."

'Hmm…interesting...' "I see, well, that IS a shame that he lost such a genuine sounding woman. But if you'll excuse me, I have some business I need to take care of." Without waiting for a reply the woman paid for her ramen and left the shop.

Hinata looked at Naruto with a puzzled expression but her boyfriend only shrugged. "Probably had to go back to her corner."

But little did they know who this woman REALLY was.

TBC…

How was that? Was Naruto or Sasuke OOC? I hope you guys liked the first chapter. I'll try and post the next chapter as soon as possible, but don't forget to give me some feedback on it. It gives me motivation!

I know it's REALLY short compared to the chapters in Rose (those who stuck by me 'till the end in that one know what I'm talking about), but this was pre-written. So bear with me T.T

Don't hold your breath…

xxasukachanxx