Author's Note: This is off of the anime...I've never read the manga but...this is off the anime. This is also the first long term fanfic I've decided to show publicly so bare with me. I also don't usually have long chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not and have never owned the Naruto series or any of the characters.

Hungry for Power

by: ashelynn

Chapter 1: Sakura's Tears

A sign escaped the young boy's lips as he lifted himself from the hospital bed, looking up at the ceiling between his long jet black hair. He was deep in thought for a long period of time. His gaze then slowly lowered to his lap. Pushing the covers off with his right hand, he revealed his left hand wrapped in cloth bandages. He glared and forced his hand into a fist, gritting his teeth.

"Itachi..." he whispered to himself. Once again he had gone up against his older brother and failed.

He relaxed his arm and rested it at his side as he laid back down in the bed, closing his eyes. He needed more power if he was going to defeat Itachi and restore his clan. He shifted his head to the right slowly and opened his eyes again. The light from the window forced him to squint. As his vision cleared, a girl wearing all pink with light pink hair was leaning on the right side of the bed, sitting on a chair near the window.

Surprised, he sat up in the bed again. He shifted his head until he could see the front of her face. Her cheeks were damp with lines of tears running down from her eyes. He arched his eyebrows in confusion and touch her face.

"Sakura..." he whispered, pushing her hair out of her face, tilting his head to the side as he looked at her. Her eyelids slowly lifted to his touch. He pulled his hand away quickly and turned his head the opposite way, closing his eyes. His cheeks reddened

"Sasuke?" she whispered lifting herself up of the bed, sitting upright in the chair. She rubbed her eyes and turned to him. A smile appeared across her face. "Sasuke!" she yelled excitedly, climbing onto the bed ans wrapping her arms around him. "Oh Sasuke...I thought...this time..." tears rolled down her cheeks once again.

Sasuke flinched in surprise. 'She...she's crying...' He blinked in confusion. He shook his head then finally spoke to her.

"Sakura...how long was I-"

"At least a week...and Lady Hokage has been so busy lately...I'm so glad you're okay..." she said, happy to here his voice.

'Was she...here by my side the whole time?' he asked himself, not making any effort to comfort her in return.

Sasuke kept his arms to his side and just sat there as she held him, like always. He never noticed his own feelings for her. Every time she held him when he was sick and he just sat there. Sasuke wasn't one who showed his feelings. Ever since the day his clan was taken out by his brother, he never really had any emotion to show.

Sakura didn't need him to hold her in return, though she longed for the day he would. As long as she could wrap her arms around him, feel his heartbeat, and know he was alive and well, that was good enough for her.

--END

Author's End Note: Please Read&Review! Thanks!