Hey guys.

So, Sasuke pretty much became a good guy. I wasn't expecting it to come so soon, and I didn't see a decision to actually protect the village coming. That, as you might've noticed, throws New Generation off, because of Itachi's past. I'm trying to retcon it into something that will be consistant with the story of the manga, which is why the third chapter for that fic has been delayed. I don't want Itachi's goal to change.

Now, I noticed how Sasuke worked out the situtation with Karin, he just said sorry. But, as we all know, that won't work on Sakura. She's not a one-dimensional fangirl, she has complex feelings of love towards him. So there will probably be a deep talk between Sasuke and Sakura, so those two can work things out and Sasuke can be redeemed completely. This one-shot will show how I wish that talk to go.

Without any further delay, let's get to the talk! (Get it? No? Okay...)

-o-

He woke up in a tent. The battle had been over and they had come out victorious, but he didn't remember anything afterwards. He tried to move, but a stinging pain spread itself across his body. He noticed he was wrapped in bandages, it appeared he had received medical attention. He looked around to see he was alone in the tent. Why was that? If he, of all people, had been damaged enough to have to receive medical attention, what about everyone in the Shinobi Alliance? What about Naruto?

He tried to move again, this time managing to sit up even with the pain from his wounds. Now that he noticed it, he felt incredible strain on his eyes. He had used his ocular powers a bit too much during the battle. Maybe that's why he was moved to a tent alone, he would probably need to rest for a while. He tried to hear sounds from outside the tent, it appeared there were a lot of people walking around. He was probably in a medical station. Then he saw someone entering the tent. The person had pink hair, was using a normal flak jacket and was carrying what seemed to be a tray with medicine.

"You've woken up, Sasuke-kun..." she said, putting the tray down on one of the tables "Naruto was worried sick about you..."

"Naruto? You mean he's already awake?" Sasuke asked "How did that happen?"

"You never know with that guy..." she replied, before pulling a chair and sitting in front of Sasuke. She extended her hand to his head "Let me check your eyes..."

Sasuke didn't move or respond, letting her do her business instead. She inspected his eyes thoroughly, to see if they were in a good state.

"You used a lot of Sharingan techniques in the last battle." she said as she checked his eyes "I'm surprised you're not blind by now..."

"I'm surprised I'm not dead..." Sasuke replied.

"That too..." she replied "But that would also apply to everyone in the Shinobi Alliance." she finished her tests "Well, your eyes are going to be fine as long as you stay put for a few days."

"Stay put?" Sasuke replied "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean you shouldn't battle." she said "It would do you good not to mess with the Kumo Shinobi. They're not exactly fond of you, you know?"

Sasuke could feel that something was off with Sakura. It was like she had something hidden, and was trying to keep it hidden with all her might "Sakura..." he said.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

Sakura sighed, as if she had given up trying to keep that thing hidden. She looked at Sasuke in his eyes, before slapping him in the face.

Sasuke looked at Sakura in surprise, before noticing her expression. Her face contained every single emotion you could think of, happiness, sadness, anger, evrything was there. She was clearly struggling with herself. He was going to say something when he noticed tears forming in her eyes.

"Do you have... any idea of what you've done to me?" Sakura said "Can you understand how much I suffered because of you?" she said as she kept fighting the tears back "Can you even imagine how hard it feels to keep loving you?"

Sasuke was left speechless. He wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Actually, there was nothing he could say to her.

"You know, I always had hope that you would come back..." Sakura said "In my mind, there was no way you would reach the place you reached... I had this... image of you... that your heart would awlays belong to Konoha, to Team 7..."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"But then... I saw you with that girl... you were willing to end her life... You were willing to end my life, Kakashi-sensei's life... and Naruto's life too!" she continued "Do you know how I felt when I saw that? Can you feel how broken my heart was?"

"Sakura... I'm sorry..."

"You think a simple apology will work?" Sakura shouted "You left me with a broken heart, you battled Kakashi-sensei with the intention to kill him, and didn't even stop your attacks when Naruto arrived!" she shouted "And you think that just because you changed sides at the last minute that a simple sorry will work?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and breathed in and out, as if trying to calm himself down "Sakura, what I did was inexcusable... I know..." he said "I also know that just because I helped you in this last battle it doesn't mean that I have the right to be forgiven..." he looked at her tear-filled eyes "But why? Why, after all I did to you, to your friends... Why do you still love me?"

Sakura and Sasuke stared at each other for a few moments before Sakura spoke up "I just do..." she said.

Sasuke didn't respond.

"There was a time, just before we met at the Land of Iron, that I tried to convince myself that I didn't love you anymore... So much that I even faked a confession to Naruto..." she said, surprising Sasuke "But he saw right through me... The moment I said it, he knew I was lying... lying to myself..."

Sasuke continued without responding.

"I had decided to kill you because I couldn't bear to see you fall deeper and deeper into the darkness... But I failed... because of my feelings for you..." Sakura said "I failed... to get over you..."

Sasuke continued staring at Sakura.

"When I saw you arrive at the battlefield... I was so happy..." Sakura said "But I was also... weary... I didn't know what to think of you anymore... And now... here I see you... right in front of me..." she said "It almost feels like a dream..."

"It's not a dream." Sasuke said "I'm here. I fought beside the Shinobi Alliance... I did decide to protect Konoha..." he said "And even though I don't deserve it... I'm also... asking for your forgiveness..."

Sakura looked at Sasuke and the two stared at each other for a few seconds. Sakura sighed "You know I forgive you..." she then caressed his cheek and smiled at him "Just make sure you get better, okay?" Sakura prepared to leave.

"Yeah..." Sasuke said as he saw Sakura leaving the tent.

Sakura was getting out of the tent when she turned to give Sasuke one last message "Oh, I'm just going to give you a heads-up. Naruto will come to visit you this afternoon. Don't get worked up, okay?" she then left the tent.

Worked up? About what? Sasuke couldn't think of anything that would make him get worked up when Naruto came.

-o-

Later...

-o-

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto entered the tent "I heard from Sakura-chan you woke up this morning."

"Yeah..."

"Well, it's been three days since you fainted on the battlefield." Naruto said, before bearing a smug face "I woke up in just one day... What's wrong, Sasuke? You're falling behind."

"I'll kill you, Naruto." Sasuke remarked as his nerves popped in anger.

-o-

And that was it!

Short, but I'm sure you didn't expect a long one, right? Anyway, I might make another one-shot for these two, but set in the future... I have to think about that.

How did you like it? Were the characters believable? I know Sasuke's a bit OOC, but I'm sure he'll eventually change back to his old self during of shortly after the big climatic battle. Also, i don't know why, but writing Sakura's slap felt really good.

Have an awesome day.