I read all of these really sweet and depressing stories, and it made me want to write one of my own. I don't know if it turned out the way I wanted it too, but I enjoying writing it, even if it did take me a little while to figure out how to make it longer. I don't really like Sakura and I DESPISE Sasuke, but they are one of the cuter couples, minus Hinata and Naruto, of course.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Numb is Good

Her fingers pressed up against the windowsill. The cold numbed them almost instantly. But honestly, she didn't really care. It felt good to be numb; it was so much better than the feeling of pain, of sorrow, and of regret.

She stuck her whole face against the window and hoped that the numbness would overtake her whole body, or at least her heart. She could hardly believe it was even still beating after the pain she endured, and she kind of wished it wouldn't.

A knock sounded at her door, but instead of answering it, she stayed with her head and hands against the window, looking outside at the silent snow. Her friends were worried about her, sure. They had been for who knows how long. But the pain overshadowed the desire she had to see them happy, and to be happy herself.

"Sakura? Sakura! Please open up!" Ino's pleading voice almost managed to break through the layer ice collecting on her feelings, but not quite. Only one voice could do that, and it was the only one she would never hear.

A sudden banging on the door caused her to lift her head up, though her hands stayed stuck to the window. This was definitely unusual…

The sound of the door breaking caused her to flinch closer to the window. Of course, it hadn't numbed the pain, so why would it numb the fear she felt now?

Two black forms slowly walked forward out the debris, and she recognized them as Lee and Naruto. What were they doing here? They had no right to intrude upon her house, her life, and her misery…

Naruto reached her first, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away from the window. Lee was there and second later, and he carefully pried her frozen, blue fingers from the thin layer of ice.

She struggled feebly. She hadn't the strength to fight anymore, not after staring out the window for days with no food and hardly any water. She tried to fight harder, but the power just wasn't there. Maybe she did want to leave this place, after all…

Lee pressed a hand to her cheek, and she shivered at the contact. It had been so long since she had felt warm skin; skin that wasn't pale, and dying with its owner.

"Sakura, please. This is for your own good." Lee looked at her with those big pleading eyes, and she hadn't the will to argue, nor the energy left to fight even if she had cared. She relaxed in Naruto's grip, and they brought her over to Ino, who was standing outside the door, extra clothes in hand. They had known she would come, or had otherwise decided that they were going to force her either way.

Her head turned slightly, and she locked eyes with Ino. She recognized the hurt in there, and the worry and pain. Had she really caused all of this pain to almost overwhelm her friends? How could they feel the same pain she did for Sasuke, when she at least was right here?

She looked at Naruto and Lee, and saw the same feelings in their eyes as she did in Ino's.

But what was that? She studied them closer, and what she saw completely shocked her.

Kindness.

Hope.

Relief.

That was what she saw there. And it was stronger than any of the other things she had seen. It struck her to the quick of her being how good her friends were. Could they really feel all of this… for her?

Tears came to her eyes and a smile came to her lips. The smile was a little rusty, sure, but at least it was there.

Maybe, maybe, she could get through this after all.

Did you like it? I liked it… although I don't know if it had that good of an ending because I couldn't find the right way to do it… but still. Other than that, I enjoyed it.

By the way, is it just me, or is it easier to write depressing stories with Sasuke and Sakura than it is with anybody else?