/Author's Note: Haha, so I probably shouldn't even be starting this fanfic. But I feel in order continue on with my other fanfic on the site: "Time Lines" this needs to be written. Basically, I've been working on that story since I started highschool. I'm about to graduate. My writing style has changed so much in four years that "Time Lines" needs a make over. So I'll start out with this. This will be the prequel. If you've been reading "Time Lines" or want to know more about it, I updated an authors note explaining further what's going to happen and how "Runaway Love" will have an effect on it. So I hope you enjoy this story cuz I couldn't keep it under wraps anylonger. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the song "Runaway Love" by Ludacris/ Mary J. Blige./

The force of the hit sent Sakura flying into the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut. She would not cry. She refused to give him that satisfaction. "Come on, Dad. Can't you just let me go? I'm going to be late for training..." Her voice came out weaker than she meant it to. The point of her elbow pushed painfully into the hardwood floor but she didn't dare make a move.

Mr. Haruno looked at Sakura's pitiful form and took another drink of sake. "Get out of my sight, you little bitch. Maybe you'll learn something useful from that deadbeat teacher of yours. And you better be back to make me dinner tonight or I'll have your ass."

Sakura picked herself up off the ground and gave a respectful bow to her father. "Hai, Otou-san." Quickly, Sakura left for the training ground.

As much as she wanted to train, she needed to look herself over before she arrived at the training grounds. Sakura had already missed the first half anyway.

Sakura took a kunai from her holster and looked at her reflection in the blade. She'd have a nice bruise below her eye. And she didn't even want to look at her ribs. All this because she couldn't cook a decent lunch? She was thirteen. It wasn't her fault her mother only taught her the basics before... No. She wouldn't think about the past. She couldn't.

The pinkette pulled out a small compact full of coverup. The last of the make up her mother had left behind. And there wasn't a whole lot left and she'd spent all of the money from her missions on things for the house. She sighed. She needed to make a decision and fast.

Sakura mulled over her options as she applied the cover up to the bruise. When she was finished, she again took out a kunai and looked at her image in the reflection. It would have to do. She entered the training ground and made her way over to where Team Seven was.

"Sakura. Glad to see you could join us." Kakashi said, not looking up from his little orange book.

"Sorry, Sensei. I... um... got held up." She replied, watching Sasuke and Naruto spar.

"Held up on what, exactly?"

Sakura averted her eyes. 'Think, Sakura!' "Um... the path of life?" She forced a cheesy grin and awkwardly rubbed her arm.

Kakashi chuckled a bit. "Is that so?"

Sakura grinned. "Maybe if you didn't use that excuse so often, I wouldn't have remembered it."

"I guess I deserved that." Kakashi mused. "Just try to be more on time, Sakura."

Sakura nodded. "Hai, Sensei."

Kakashi redirected his gaze to Sasuke and Naruto. "Alright, boys. Call it quits before you beat each other bloody."

Finally Sasuke and Naruto noticed Sakura. "Sakura-chan! Where've you been? You're usually here before I am!"

"Sorry, Naruto."

"Sasuke, Sakura. Before we disperse, a quick spar?"

Sakura inwardly groaned, but took a stance in front of Sasuke regardless. "I won't go easy on you." Sasuke said.

"I wouldn't expect you to, Sasuke." She'd dropped the "kun" suffix months ago.

Sasuke came at her, Sharingan activated. Sakura dodged and dropped to the ground, sweeping her foot across the ground.

Sasuke jumped and threw a shuriken her way. Sakura moved out of the way just in time but the shuriken still managed to cut through the fabric across her ribs and graze her skin. "Shit."

Sakura ran toward the young Uchiha. She'd make him pay for ruining one of her only shirts. Sasuke saw the attack coming and gave a side kick to the ribs.

Sakura gasped for breath and collapsed. She couldn't breathe. "Sakura?"

Kakashi walked over, Naruto tailing him. "Sasuke, what the fuck is your problem?"

"Sakura, can you hear me?" Kakashi knelt beside her. Sakura nodded to let him know she heard him. "I'm gonna lift up your shirt a bit so I can examine the injury." Again, Sakura nodded.

Kakashi slid the red fabric up to rest just below Sakura's breast. Naruto and Sasuke hovered over her. "I didn't think I kicked her that hard..." Sasuke mumbled.

"That's because you didn't, Sasuke." Kakashi pointed to a dark purple bruise just below Sakura's breast. "This was done earlier today. That's why it's so dark."

"I kicked her just below there." Sasuke pointed out.

Kakashi nodded. "The combination of both trauma's broke her rib. She needs medical attention."

Sakura's eyes widened. "N-no. Really guys, I'm fine." With some effort, she managed to sit up.

"Sakura, you really should get it-"

"I said, I'm fine." She snapped. Kakashi looked unfazed, but Naruto flinched. He'd never heard her sound so mean before. Sakura sighed. She hadn't meant for it to come out that way. "I'll look at it when I get home. I promise." With the help of her team mates, she rose.

"At least let me walk you home. Make sure you get there okay."

"Sasuke-"

"If you don't agree, I'll just follow you home anyway."

"Fine."

"Go home and get some rest, Sakura." Kakashi said. "Don't show up for training tomorrow. Not until you're healed."

"Yeah, Sakura-chan, don't over do yourself." Sakura nodded and followed Sasuke through the grounds.

The two walked in Silence for a bit. "So are you going to tell me who did that to you?"

Sakura froze midstep. "No one, Sasuke. I... fell down the steps this morning. It was an accident."

"Sakura, you've always been a terrible liar. And its annoying that you don't trust me enough to tell me the truth." Sasuke replied. "Oh. and I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't noticed your shitty make up job on your eye. The make up is barely covering the bruise. Not to mention the fact that your eye is swollen."

Sakura looked at the ground. "Really, Sasuke. I'm a klutz. It was my fault. I just need to be more careful." Sakura replied.

Sasuke sighed. He wasn't going to argue with her. "Whatever. We're here." Sakura headed for the door. "Listen, Sak. If you need anyone, and I'm not around..." He paused. "Never mind. Just make sure you tell someone what's going on. Whether it be Naruto or Kakashi. They'll understand. Just... promise me you'll take care of yourself Sakura."

"I'll do my best, Sasuke." She headed in.

-x-x-x-

Sakura looked in her mirror. Night had fallen, and she donned a new injury. Her lip was busted open on the side. She was done. She grabbed her travel pack and stuffed in a couple outfits, and her winter cloak. She also packed her scrolls, and weapons. Sakura looked at her desk; at the picture of Team Seven. She'd miss them. Kakashi Sensei, Sasuke, even Naruto. She sighed. It wasn't a necessity but it was the last thing she would ever have of her friends. She'd take it with her.

Sakura dressed simply, black ninja shorts, and used a red spaghetti strap tank top as an undershirt. She had kept her kunoichi bindings around her chest as they helped with the pain from her rib. Finally, she grabbed a sweatshirt with a hood and took a final look in the mirror. She definitely looked like a runaway.

Her dad was probably passed out on the couch but she didn't want to take the chance of waking him by going out the front door. Instead, she walked over to her desk and lifted the window above it, jumping through it to the ground.

Sakura took her time walking through the streets of Konoha. When she left, she could never return. She knew that and though she had accepted it, she would miss Konoha. She payed attention to the nightlife, which at this time of night, was mostly the occasional owl and maybe a cat. The air was cool and refreshing on her heated skin. Sakura glanced around at the village that was bathed in moonlight. She hoped the moon was this perfect everywhere else in the ninja nations.

Finally, she came upon the gates that were always open. Sakura hesitated, and thought of what life would be like living on the streets. Though her heart, pounded with fear at what lay ahead, she knew anything was better than staying another night with the man she unfortunately called her father. She attempted to take a step forward, but came to a hault when she saw a figure walking in the shadows. Sensing her, it stopped and turned. She recognized him. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed. "What are you doing here, Sak?"

"This is the only way out of the village."

"Uh huh. I realize that. But why are you here?" Sakura didn't answer. She knew why he was here. He was living for Oto. As if reading her thoughts, he said, "I can't take you with me."

Sakura was outraged. Did he think everything was about him? "Get the fuck over yourself, Uchiha. Maybe I have my own reasons for leaving." Sakura shifted her travel pack.

Sasuke scoffed. "Go home, Sakura." He turned and continued walking.

Sakura ignored him and followed his lead. As she said, it was the only way out of the village. They'd go their separate ways eventually.

"Sakura, if you won't go home on your own, I won't hesitate to force -" He paused, and looked at her, his gaze locked on her face. "Fall down the steps again?"

Tears pricked her eyes. "Fuck off..."

"Hey. I'm sorry. I honestly thought you were going to try and stop me from going to Orochimaru. It never occurred to me that you'd be leaving for your own reasons."

Sakura rolled he eyes. No. Of course it hadn't. Sasuke'd never truly cared about her anyway. He acted like it sometimes around Naruto or Kakashi, but when it was just them, he acted as if she never existed. "If you're going to that snake, that's your business. I don't give a shit." Sakura replied, continuing on.

They fell in step side by side. "Do you now where you're going to go?" Sasuke asked her.

"Nope."

Sasuke let out a small laugh. "Let me guess. You're just gonna travel around and hope for the best?"

"Like you're so different?" Arrogant asshole.

"I actually have somewhere I'm going." Well, Sakura had to admit that Sasuke had a point. At the very least, he had a plan. While it wasn't a very good one in her eyes, it was better than hers.

Silence stretched before them. They had left Konoha city limits a while ago and the trees where beginning to thicken. They eventually reached a fork in the road and stopped.

"Guess this is where we part." Sakura said, looking at her comrade. Sasuke hadn't been the best of friends to her, but he'd saved her ass on multiple occasions and when it came down to it, that was more than enough. She doubted if she'd ever see him again. And the thought made her think of Naruto and Kakashi. Again, tears threatened to fall. Sakura shook her head. In order to save yourself, you have to make sacrifices. Even if that means leaving everything you care about behind. She'd keep telling herself that.

Sasuke sighed and looked at her. His dark eyes bore into hers and like magic, the tears she'd been fighting so hard to keep back, fell onto her face. On a clear night like tonight, when the moon shone as bright as the sun, Sasuke would see her weakness. She wiped her eyes. She couldn't seem to do anything right. Maybe she was as worthless as her father said she was. "You're annoying, Sak." Sasuke's deep tone broke Sakura from her thoughts.

Sakura glared at the young Uchiha with an intensity that burned like fire. Okay maybe she wouldn't miss him as much as she'd miss Naruto or Kakashi. Sakura inwardly scoffed. How could she have ever had a crush on him? "Well you didn't have to walk with me if you didn't want to. I'm sure your snake friends are waiting for you."

Sasuke let out a genuine laugh. "Come on." Sakura looked at Sasuke's out stretched hand in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I can't just leave you to die." Sasuke replied, a hint of annoyance slipping into his tone.

"I thought you said you couldn't take me. And who the hell says-"

"Sak, you and I both know you wouldn't last a day on your own, especially in your condition. And I'm the great and mighty Uchiha. I can do as I please." He called her forward again, keeping his head stretched out to her.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Fine. But that snake bitch lays a hand on me, I'm out."

Sasuke cracked a smile. "Deal." Sakura made a move forward and took his hand.

Suddenly, a form jumped down from the trees and landed in front of them. "Uchiha Sasuke... and friend? Tsk, Tsk, Sasuke. Orochimaru won't be happy."

/Author's Note: Kay so that's it for now. I've already started on the second chapter... mostly because I'm procrastinating on one of my other fanfics, that's completely unrelated to Naruto. -_- Anyway, I'll update soonish. . Oh and see that review button? It likes to be clicked. ^_^ hint, hint, nudge, nudge*

-Kit/