Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Naruto.
Voice
"And then," She looked up at her, "I thought I heard his voice."
"Hello Sasuke."
That was the way she always started. Every day. Sitting in her kitchen, when both her parents were out, sitting at the table, staring across the counter to where she wished he was.
"How was your day?"
That always came next. She made up some stupid response, like "Fine," or "Great!" Both of which she knew his days were probably not on his empty self-destruct.
"Mine was..."
She would then describe her day. Sometimes she laughed- when she told him of a stupid thing Naruto had done, an odd thing Kakashi-sensei had done, or other incidents that she thought he would've enjoyed if he had been there. Other times she cried.
"I miss you."
That was usually where she began to cry.
"I miss you so much."
She wished always wished she could see him again. She hoped and prayed that he was okay.
"Please come home soon."
This escaped her mouth most of the time, but sometimes she was crying too hard to finish.
That was the way it went, every day from the very first day he left, and the way it would go until he came home.
"I'm sorry."
As soon as she heard those words, she forgot what day it was and what time it was and where she was and who she was and why she was crying. All that mattered were those two words that she could not have heard.
From that one sentence that rang in her head that she knew she should not have heard it did not matter that she was in her nightdress or that it was raining. For a moment, all that mattered was that broken voice that she knew had stolen the last of her sanity.
She ran from the house that held her in, that empty insanity echoing in her head, rain clinging to her short locks, hergreen eyes crying with the sky for that fallen voice that she missed so much.
When she knocked on the door it did not matter that she had not knocked on that door in ten years time it only mattered that a person behind that door knew her and loved her and was her friend and would assure her that she had not heard that simple sentence that was driving her past the breaking point.
She collapsed into her friend's arms when she opened the door, crying and wet.
"Ino," She moaned, falling to her knees in the front hall, "Ino, I think I'm going insane." Her broken voice pained her enemy, her best friend.
"Calm down," The former friend told her, patting her on the back with all the care of a mother and a sister and a friend, "Tell me what's wrong."
And she looked into the other's eyes andgreen met blue and it didn't matter that they'd not had a good word for each in years and that she loved him to. All that mattered was someone was there who was willing to listen to the ramblings of the broken.
"I was...talking to him," She started, knowing she would not have to explain who he was, "And I cried. Because I miss him. A lot," Her careful words were even, "And then..."
Her friend and rival did not say a word.
"And then," She looked up at her, "I thought I heard his voice."
"You must've imagined it," Ino crooned, sinking to her knees beside the other, hugging her. "We all miss him."
"Yes..." Sakura whispered, not believing it herself, "I must've been dreaming..."
Far away in the Sound Village, a black haired, dark eyed figure fell against a wall, moving away from the cold, betraying window. It had drained most of his charka to send his voice that far. But at least now she knew he was sorry.
Hobbling back to his room, Sasuke sat down at a table set for three and started like always.
"Hello Sakura, Naruto."
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A/N: Please review, constructive criticism is greeted with much joy and flames are used to create an ever brighter flame in my heart for Sasuke-kun! D Thanks to Liah and Melting-Ice for pointing out to me that Sakura-chan's eyes aregreen!
