Damaged Goods.

I don't own the song that inspired me or the characters I portray.

"You tried?" I looked her in the eye and smiled. "My girl, you must understand that fear is not some product that I made. It crept unwelcome in my head the day they had her torn away. It changed me."

"He has no major injuries. But he does have a bit of a lung problem. And his eyes aren't as strong as we'd like. Please take good care of him, Nurse Haruno."

"Hai, Doctor."

When I met her, I was immediately reminded of my wife. Her bright attitude and the color of her hair were painful, hated reminders. But as days went on, I didn't mind as much. It was obvious she was attracted to me. The fear within me wouldn't allow that though.

I felt her watching me; I felt her eyes burning holes into the lids of my lowered eyes. I stared at the untouched tray of fruits that looked too sweet and generous for a bitter man like me to even chance a nibble.

I wouldn't glance up to her stunning green eyes. I wouldn't meet her poison stare.

She murmured my name, she called it with pleading and pain. I made a sort of sound in response. A short, quiet grunt.

I looked up enough to see the fake smile take her lips. "Kiss me, kiss me, Sasuke." She said, leaning forward. As she neared I ducked my head. Her eyes flashed open.

"Why won't you let me kiss you?" She whispered, reaching out to touch me. I backed up on the bed.

"Now at the end of every day, I lie awake at night to feel the wires of my brain get cut and quietly rearrange. And hear my beaten heart exclaim, 'Still I refuse to let her go!'"

"Whatever you're afraid of, it's long gone, Sasuke. Your troubles of the world beyond Konoha are over. I'm here for you." She said with anger in her eyes, the jealously of not being my center. But how could this girl ever change what I've seen? No, she couldn't even begin to conceive the things I've done, the things I've seen.

And I felt my own anger bubble, she couldn't tell me to let it go. "Sakura, you'll never understand what I went through, unless you go through it too."

"You can make me understand, tell me what it is." She had a persistent look in her eyes. I felt the anger go cold, she really wanted to know? I'm a bitter man, what's one more stop on the way to Hell?

"You really want to know?" I cried, with a crack in my voice. "My son died from cancer at the age of two, four weeks ago today. Tomorrow will be the anniversary of when I buried him, sobbing with my wife. Not a week ago today, were we swimming here to this city. My life and my world got caught up in a current, it dragged her out to sea, the last thing I saw of her, I wish it was a dream. Her hand caught the air, her hand with my ring. The last thing I saw of her she waved goodbye and told me to live long, to get to this island and not to get infected. I did as she asked, but with all of me missing. I'm not a man, just a skeleton with memories." I screamed, my last sentence echoing back to me from the empty walls, a voice I hardly recognized. She was crying, and so was I, but she still couldn't understand.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I had no idea!" She cried.

"And you still don't! You have no idea what it's like outside of this city. Outside of this island. The world is infected and dying while you stand there perfectly healthy. It's not fair!"

"So we escape to our mistakes for they wait patiently for us. Oh, how they always wait for me. If my fear has kept me here, only my fear can set me free."

I stood abruptly from the cold, unwanted bed. I stepped around the pink haired woman and quickly made my way to the door. She followed closely screaming words that I felt I should ignore.

We thundered through the town, we walked through the raging storm. She grabbed my arm and I yanked it back, I heard her sob and my heart stopped.

I turned to her, in my anger and my shock and I shouted right at her:

"I'm sorry dear, but don't you say another word. How could I risk holding your heart while still in love with her? You were wrong."

She recoiled as if she were burned and even through the heavy rain I could see the pain in her eyes.

I ran my hand down her cheek and she shook her head. She turned and ran. I felt myself start after her, but stopped myself. This is what I needed.

I turned to the ocean. I watched the waves viciously smack against the mountains.

"I hear you, Karin."

I smiled.

She had an idea of what real life tasted like.

A/N: This is my first one shot and I cannot express my content at leaving it at this.

I don't know how this affected you but it was difficult to write. It's not very good, but whatever. The song is "Damaged Goods" by La Dispute.

Enjoy and maybe review? (: