Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of their characters, they belong to Kishimoto and all the big companies that hold the rights. I just borrow them to try to vent my restless imagination.

Questions.

Questions... so many... so little answers.

There was a time everything was so simple. Where had that time gone? Simple questions were given simple answers.

Not now, thou.

Now I am here, calmly watching him, both of us bloodied and battered. Of course "calmness" is just the mask I have chosen to wear this time, but really, inside, I feel like a bow's string, ready to shoot at the first sign of danger.

It's been years since that day in which the bastard in front of me left our village. He turned his back on us, on the people that trusted him.. on the people that loved him.

...why?...

I asked daily after I failed to bring him back...

...Why?...

Was it something I failed to notice?

..WHY?...

Were we just too much of a burden for him?

"WHY!"

And finally it is out of my mouth, like an over flooding dam. Why did you leave? Why couldn't you trust us? Why wouldn't you notice those that didn't care about your past but about you?... Why was I so weak to bring you back...

My sudden outburst didn't elicit anything from you. Of course, I told myself, Ice-Cube Lord would never give the pleasure of a heated response... He just stares, his gaze lost.

Did you succeed? But more important than that, was it worth it?

Unknowing of what to say or just unwilling to voice herself, Sakura has been quiet all this time, her scrutining gaze on the man she used to chase around the village, now turned into a traitor. Sometimes I wonder how did you manage to develop such a calm outside, such a strong gaze. Was it because of your medical training? Well, that's a possibility, after all every medic-nin I know seems to be able to turn off their emotions while on work... in fact most shinobi do the same...myself included. It's, of course, the mask we have chosen to wear, isn't it?

Sakura, I wish to tell you that everything will be all right. I wish to finally say "I fulfilled my promise"... in a way I did, but I just feel he's here because of you, not me.

Will you answer this time Sasuke? I want to hear your answer, I NEED to hear it.

The raven-haired man finally looks at me, and suddenly, all my rage, all this years of accumulated anger leave, because those eyes that once belonged to a man full of despair, of cold determination and revenge, now... well, now...they are... empty.

Nothing is left of the young Sasuke I once considered my rival. Now an empty shell is all I can see.

"I'm tired."

----------------------------------------------------

Just a few thoughts on my version of the Uchiha-Uzumaki-Haruno meeting, that one day must happen. I tried to reflect their emotions as much as possible without going overboard, but I suppose you should be the ones judging that.

Actually I'm more or less proud of this short piece, basically because every time I try to write I tend to create huge works that I just can't finish, and this didn't get out of hand.

Anyway, any comments are well received, also any pointers to correct my horrible grammar are more than appreciated. Any flames will be fed to Angst-boy Uchiha, so feel free to stuff him.

Lady Onuk

9 Nov 2005