Title: Twenty- One
Inspired By: the song Can't Help Falling In Love- Ingrid Michaelson, and Twenty-Three by foshizzlemanizzle. (listen to Can't Help Falling in Love- Ingrid Michaelson when reading this, trust me)
Summary: It isn't until she is Twenty-One she is finally Happy. Because all the years before that she was left broken and hoping.
Naruto does not belong to me. (sadly).
Twelve.
She is Twelve and she is on top of the world. She's in a team with Sasuke-kun.
She can finally show Ino,(exbestfriend, piggy!) who the winner is and who Sasuke prefers. Sasuke-kun and her are meant to be. And no one will come between them or so she thinks.
But she has to deal with idiotic Naruto, who thinks he's better then Sasuke-kun. Psh. Naruto is nothing compared to God-like Sasuke. Sasuke-kun is the best best best best!
.
.
But she can't help feel the pang in her heart and control inner Sakura when dear Sasuke-kun calls her annoying.
.
At Twelve, Sakura learns why crushes are called crushes. Because they can make the heart bleed as if it were crushed with stones and sticks are thrown at it.
But regardless She is Sakura Haruno, with the hopes of winning over Sasuke Uchiha, so she brushes off his cold words and his harsh attitude.
Because she wants to show Ino who really is the winner.
At Twelve Sakura wants nothing but to win.
Thirteen.
At Thirteen, she is crumbling.
"I love you with all my heart! If you stay we could be happy." Why can't this boy see? That this road he is about to take is nothing filled with darkness and blood. That this road won't lead him to happiness. That he's dragging this beautiful, gifted team down. And that Sakura can't imagine a team without him, without Sasuke. Without his subtle hints to cheer her up. Without his arguments with Naruto. Without his protective nature that always rescues her.
Team 7 without Sasuke would be a Team broken. And no, no she doesn't want that. She wants Sasuke to train. She wants Naruto and Sasuke to argue and train and become the honorable ninja that she knows they will be and she wants to see this boy smile more. Because Sasuke deserves happiness, and even if he won't admit it. Sakura knows that Sasuke is happiest when he is with Sakura and Naruto. So she threatens him "If you leave, I'll scream and then -"
.
.
And in a second, he's behind her. Uchiha's and their speed, one of the many many reasons Sakura has fallen for Sasuke. And before she can say anything else she hears his smooth, beautiful, tragic voice "Thank you".
All she feels is a sharp pain her neck and she slips into black.
(Thank you? Thank you for what? Sasuke, Sasuke what are you doing, Sasuke no I love you. Sasuke you are Team 7. We can help you. Let me help you. You belong with us. Don't do it Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun. Please Please Please)
.
At Thirteen, her whole world comes crashing down.
Fifteen.
Fifteen and strong. Or so she would like to think. Training under Tsuande has kept her sane, sane enough to go on with her life.
(But what is life without Team 7, Life without Sasuke. She is not weak. She is far from weak. But Sasuke why aren't you here to witness it? Where are you? What are you doing right now? Come back, Come back, Come back...)
She is no longer the weak little girl. She can crush the ground with her fist. Cause an earthquake with her pinky and she can heal with the hands that used to be so useless.
.
.
The first time she shatters the earth on old Team 7 training grounds, she almost laughs at Naruto and Kakashi-sensi's face.
Ha. how foolish of them to doubt her. She almost smirks bitterly. Did these two idiots think she did nothing in these two and half years?
This time she's gonna bring back Sasuke, She's gonna show how strong she has gotten. Because love is the strongest emotion, and she believes her love can save him. (still, still, still)
.
.
So when Naruto and her pass the bell test and Naruto tackles her in a hug, she thinks that right now, everything might be okay. But she cannot help miss the aura of a smirking avenger beside her.
Right now, Naruto's warmth will do. Right now, Team 7 may be broken but they are still alive. Alive and Strong.
(Sakura-chan, don't worry we'll get teme back! Sakura-chan, you havn't changed at all. OWWWWW, SAKURA-CHAN WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HIT ME?)
.
Fifteen, and she knows that maybe there is hope after all. (& that she really missed Naruto)
Sixteen.
Kunoichi's are taught to use whatever they have to in order to make a mission work.
At sixteen, she lies to Naruto. Because she knows Sasuke is far too deep. And she can't lose the final member of team 7.
( I love you Naruto-kun, so please stop chasing after Sasuke. I don't care about him anymore.)
She isn't Hinata. Because Hinata deserves Naruto and she feels like shit for doing this. But she is Sakura and she is a kunoichi, so she must do this to protect him.
.
.
At sixteen, she realizes that Naruto is smarter than most. At sixteen Naruto knows her better than anyone. His glare almost makes her back away because Naruto has never glared at her. Naruto has always treated her with love.
(Sakura-chan, let's go on a date, Sakura-chan you are so pretty, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan)
.
"I hate people who lie to themselves" Naruto spits out. And Sakura feels her heart stop. How? How did he know? Naruto, you're supposed to be an idiot, Naruto you're supposed to believe with me.
.
.
At sixteen Sakura turns her back on Naruto and decides she needs to end this by herself. Because she can't afford losing someone as precious as Naruto.
.
At sixteen, she thinks she is ready to kill Sasuke. Because the reason that Naruto is still going after him is because of her and that stupid promise. Because Sasuke is far gone and he is threat and this needs to end.
At sixteen with the kunai to his back Sakura freezes. She can't do this. Can't, Can't, Can't.
( I love you with all my heart!)
.
And within a second Sasuke turns to her and she realizes that this is no longer the same boy she knew. Because he has every intention to kill her.
At sixteen, Sakura realizes that the coldness in Sasuke's eyes make him no longer Saskue-kun.
At sixteen, she is glad that Naruto saves her. At sixteen when the two boys head towards eachother all she hears is the whirling winds of the rasengan and thousands birds of the chidori.
At sixteen, when Naruto screams at Sasuke saying they'll both have to die, Sakura realizes Naruto hasn't changed that much. Because he's an moron if he thinks she is going to let them die.
At sixteen, she has hope because she knows that Naruto will do everything to make Sasuke realize what the right path is.
.
.
At sixteen she is still hopeful and is a failure.
.
At sixteen she still loves Sasuke.
At sixteen she believes in Naruto.
Sixteen & a half.
She heals, and heals and heals. This is a war. And in war people die, people get injured. She doesn't remember what her shampoo smells like anymore. Because all she can smell is blood and pills and alcohol.
At sixteen and a half, she is healing because this is a war, and she is Tsuande's right hand. She is head and she is the only one that can heal so much.
At sixteen and a half, she prays that Naruto isn't getting killed because he's the only one who can stop this, that much she knows. She prays her friends are safe.
At sixteen and a half, when a ninja gives her a love letter, she's almost taken back. But with a small bitter smile on her face she rejects it.
.
Because her heart was lost long ago to a dark haired boy who smirks and eyes bleed red when angry.
.
At sixteen and a half she still loves Sasuke. At sixteen and a half she is healing, and fighting. for Naruto, for Sasuke, for a better life.
At sixteen and a half she is tired. She is tired but she is strong. so she keeps going.
Sixteen and a half, she heals and heals until she can't heal anymore.
(Because damn it she is Sakura Haruno! and she will heal until everything is okay again. She will heal until Naruto is smiling on the day he is crowned Hokage, and Sasuke is next to him with his stupid smirk and she is standing beside her boys. She will heal until Team 7 is whole again.)
.
.
She is Sixteen and a half, and she will not rest until there is a brighter future.
Eighteen.
"SAKURA-CHAAAAANN" was all she heard and sometimes she wonders why she kept Naruto alive.
She is eighteen and frankly after a 32 hour shift at the hospital she wants nothing more than to sleep.
But ofcourse, Team 7 (whole again, with constant shouts from her male teammates and smirks, and bright smiles, and ramen dates, and laughs and the warmth) had to have training at 8am in the morning.
.
She was going to kill Kakashi. But first she might kill Naruto. How the hell does Hinata deal with him? Oh, right she loves him.
Regardless, as she heads towards her door, about to punch the living day lights out of the newly named Rokudamie, she stops half way.
Because it isn't just Naruto's bright chakra outside her door. It's Sasuke's as well. And she smiles a little, Team 7, whole again.
( Good morning Sakura-chan. Teme and I were just coming to see if you were okay. Woah, Sakura-channnn you look like shit! Wait, wait Sakura-chan I was just kidding DATTEBAYO, Ow, Ow, Ow Sakura-chan I need to have kids you know! Sasuke-teme stop her. Hn.)
.
.
And when two strong arms wrap around her waist from punching Naruto any longer, she looks up to see those dark orbs that once held coldness look down at her and sees the smirk form in his mouth.
At eighteen, she kicks Sasuke Uchiha in the shin, and punches him straight in the face. While slamming her apartment door shut.
(HAHAHA Sasuke-teme, told you she doesn't like you any better. Dobe Shut Up. Sakura-chan kicked your ass, you got your ass beat by Sakura-chan!)
.
When she sinks down into her pillows and hears the yells of her teammates she smiles.
At eighteen, there are no more wars, there are no more power hungry evil leaders, there is no more heartbreak. There is only happiness.
(Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, IF YOU TWO DO NOT SHUT UP I WILL MAKE SURE THAT BOTH OF YOU CANNOT HAVE CHILDREN AND THE UZUMAKI AND UCHIHA CLANS ARE ERASED FOREVER. NOW GET OFF MY PORCH BEFORE I MAKE YOU! ...Hai Sakura-chan. Hn.)
.
At eighteen, there is only Team 7. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke and she thinks nothing could get better than that.
Twenty-One.
At Twenty-One, she is holding her first born. Nothing in her life can ever be matched up to this moment.
.
Beautiful, she thinks as her baby boy opens up his eyes and musky green orbs are staring back at her. She thanks kami, he wasn't born with pink hair. He was blessed with his father's blue black hair.
At Twenty-One, she looks down at the little bundle of joy. Never in her life would she think that her life would end up like this.
And when Sasuke, her Sasuke-kun enters the room, he beams. And he kisses her forehead, mumbling the words that he says to every night ever night since they were ninteen: I love you.
.
.
At Twenty-One, when Sasuke Uchiha kisses Sakura Haruno, (now and forever Sakura Uchiha) she releases a sigh in contentment.
Twenty-One and she is a mother, a wife, a Uchiha. At Twenty-One she is loving, and is loved in return.
At Twenty-One, her once broken heart is joined together with another once broken heart, and together they made a beautiful baby boy.
At Twenty One, her life is perfect. (most of the time)
.
(Congratulations Sasuke-teme, Sakura-chan! Atleast he's not as ugly as his father! Are you gonna name him Naruto? Naruto Uchiha, sounds pretty amazing, I mean I am the Hokage after all. Let's hope this kid isn't gonna be anti-social or a complete teme. Or he's gonna have your temper or forhead Sakura-chan. Wait, Wait Sakura-chan your forehead is not that big. OWW SAKURA-CHAN I'M THE HOKAGE YOU CAN'T HIT ME!)
.
At Twenty-One, She is finally happy.
(a/n): I know I havn't written a story in forever, but I was busy (kind of) during SasuSaku month and I got this idea after reading such good SasuSaku ficts. And the manga; ugh omg Kishmoto you are a genius and I might only kiss you but if my two OTP's don't happen I might die (SASUSAKU, NARUHINA=CANON). so if you are reading this, HI KISHMOTO YOU ARE AMAZING. but anyways; review & favorite? or flame me. It's up to you. Don't Kill me too much. [: