Authors Note: Hi *waves* I know i already have one unfinished story and one in process going, but i couldnt stop myself from starting another one in a completly different fandom. I had the idea for this fic while reading the summary of the the fic called 'No Need for Sasuke' from Han dj so shout out to him/her i didnt read the story but i hope he/she will not be angry with me for taking the same premise. Reviews are very much appreciated :)

„Sakura? Come on let's go, there's nothing you can do. Let Naruto handle this. He will bring Sasuke back I am sure."

Sakura seemed not to hear Ino's words. Naruto had left hours ago and she still stood, not moving a muscle, at the town gates. The sun had set long ago, but she just couldn't bring herself to go home. Not when the two most important people in her life, besides her parents, were out there alone. Her tears had long ago dried up leaving her cheeks caked with salt and she shivered in the evening breeze. Dark clouds moved over the sky, bringing the promise of rain and thunder. Still, she stood unmoving. Praying for the save return of her friends.

Ino moved closer to her…friend? Ex-friend? Rival? She wasn't so sure herself anymore, but she knew she just couldn't let her stay here. She had to do something, to bring her out of this depression that had settled over her, like the rain clouds over the village. Cautiously she touched the pink haired girls shoulder, settling her hand there. With soft force she tried to stir her away from the gates.

Sakura whirled around and harshly slapped her hand away. Her green eyes flashed angrily, and her posture screamed confrontation. The blonde kunoichi stepped back intimidated, eyes wide and mouth open.

"Don't touch me! You have no idea what its like for me! Both of my team members a gone! They left me! AGAIN! Team 7 is no more! And I am just too weak, to do anything about it! I hate it! I FUCKING HATE IT"

Angry tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't care. She was long past caring for anything. Everyone always left her behind! She was so tired of being the weak one, the one that has to be protected!

'Why am I always left behind?'

"Sakura-chan…"

It tore at Ino's heart to see her once best friend in so much despair. She wanted to console her so bad. Tentatively she tried to hug the other girl.

"I said, DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!"

Sakura pushed Ino harshly, sending the other girl falling into the dirt. Ino, disbelieving looked up at her one time best friend. Sakura toward over her, hands balled to fist, an uncommon cruel sneer on her face.

"I wish you had been the one to leave and desert the village, then I wouldn't feel so bad right now. Nobody would care either."

Shocked Ino was at a loss for words. Sakura couldn't mean those words, right? This had to be a bad dream. She laughed haltingly.

"You are not serious are you?

Sakura didn't reply just starred at her with an unabashed hatred Ino had never seen before. She gulped.

"So you would have also preferred it that I went after Sasuke right? Bring him back so Naruto wouldn't be in danger am I right?"

She felt the burn in her eyes, that alerted her of impending tears, but she tried to keep them back. It wouldn't do to show the other girl how much her words hurt and how deep the cut.

The pink haired kunoichi snorted derisively and smoothed a lock of her short hair behind her ear. In the back of her head, she knew she was unfair and cruel, but the bigger part of her was hurting so bad. And so she lashed out at the first person in her vicinity, which was Ino whom she knew so much about, every weakness and chink in her armour. She knew she could destroy her with only a couple of words, and without mercy she used them.

"As if you could bring him back when not even Naruto was able to, I guess you are more worthless than I am."

And just like that, Ino's whole worlds crumbled. It was like a slap to the face. She kept her head low. One lonely tear ran over her cheek and dropped onto the dusty ground. Ino inhaled deeply, trying to keep from falling apart on the spot. So that was it, that was how the other girl saw her. Worthless. After their fight in the chuunin exam she had the inkling of hope they could rekindle their friendship. Start anew, built something better and maybe even deeper but now she saw this was impossible. There was not even respect between them anymore, how could then there be something more? It was a ludicrous thought from the beginning, but it hurt nonetheless to admit it to oneself.

"I guess I have to proof you wrong." She mumbled softly. She knew it was a suicide mission to go after Sasuke; he beat Naruto in a really bad shape, but if she wanted to gain Sakura's respect this was her only option.

She lifted her eyes and looked gazes with the other girl. Ino knew that Sakura was full of despair, that her hurtful words came from a dark place, but the pink haired kunoichi must have thought them before, or they wouldn't have come out now.

"Would you take your words back if I brought Sasuke home?"

"Yes."

"What if I would die doing so? Would you still be happy that you got him back?"

For an instance something like regret flashed through Sakura's eyes but it was gone in an instant and in its place was her icy mask again.

"Yes," was her cool answer.

Ino closed her eyes defeated. This was it. She knew there was only one thing to do.

"I guess I knew that answer."

Slowly, Ino got up from the ground and straightened her clothes. She felt so old with a sudden and as if a heavy burden had settled on her shoulders, but she also felt focused. Never before had she felt so sure of herself with a clear goal in front of her eyes. Tentatively she touched her forehead protector, which she wore like a belt. She traced the familiar pattern of the leaf village symbol. Calmly she loosened the tight knot and took the headband in her hand. A tear fell on its surface. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'Goodbye childhood, welcome harsh adulthood.' Opening her eyes, now shining with determination, she held the shiny band towards the other girl.

"Would you mind keeping that for me? I…won't need it for awhile. You can give it back to me when you don't think I am worthless anymore okay?"

Sakura looked baffled, and didn't make any inclination to take the offered item, so Ino jumped forward and clasped one of the girls hands, closing it around her forehead protector. She offered a sad smile and let go. Turning around she started to walk towards the village again.

"Sayonara, Sakura-chan." Finally the tears fell, and Ino let them walking steadily away from her one time best friend.

The wind carried the whispered words back to the pink kunoichi, who stood unmoving at the gates, not quiet understanding the meaning of them. A frown on her face she watched the retreating back of the blonde. Something wasn't right. She lowered her head and starred at the forehead protector in her hand as if seeing it for the first time. What was the meaning of this? In her still aching mind this whole situation didn't make any sense. Little did she know, that this would be the last time she saw the other girl in a long time.