Broken

(Uchiha Sasuke X Haruno Sakura)

Inspired By - Broken By Seether feat. Amy Lee

A/N: This is an old SasuSaku story I wrote a while back and just happened to stumble across it while going through my files folder. This was an old writing exercise I did in Creative Writing Class Junior year. I just happened to be listening to the song and started writing, not really sure what this story would end up as. I've gone through this several times and revised what I could without disrupting the flow and making it too shitty to read. So I hope it's all right! Enjoy!

A certain raven haired, dark orbed shinobi watched over the pinkette of Konoha every chance he got. Wherever she went he went, watching her, protecting her, all the while masking his chakra like it was nothing.

Uchiha Sasuke, the man who would never admit or show any sort of emotions, watched her day in and day out. Even when she was on missions, either individually or part of a team with that blonde idiot, he would still find a way to stay by Sakura's side.

Even as she worked her shifts in the hospital, he would still keep a close eye on her, even though he knew she was perfectly safe in Konoha. Well, not so perfectly safe nowadays but safe enough, he supposed.

Then again, if he was there, then the village's "protection" guards were slipping.

He had to admit he loved seeing her in that little white nurse uniform. It would trigger so many new thoughts that he never thought were possible.

But though he was a cold-hearted bastard, he was still a guy, and, as one, he had needs and wants. And those needs and wants just happened to be triggered by his former teammate that had changed from the annoying girl she used to be.

And while he would never say it out loud even if his life depended on it, he enjoyed seeing her smile. He preferred seeing her happy than in tears, which he always seemed to cause. And her laugh was just beautiful, just like her.

There were a couple close calls when he became so lost in thought she almost saw him. But with his greatly increased speed, escaping was child's play. When he knew she no longer suspected anyone of watching her, he continued.

He was even there during her training sessions with her sensei, the Hokage. Not even Tsunade suspected there was someone watching over Sakura. That always made him smirk. To know even he could fool Lady Hokage.

When his pink-haired kunoichi would train alone, he was never disappointed. He had to admit, she had become quite strong since his absence. She wasn't the weak defenseless girl that obsessed over him anymore.

Now, to his surprise, she was a full-fledged woman, filled out in all the right places. She had earned the title of the second best medical ninja in all of Konoha (second only to Tsunade).

But there was never a day that passed that she didn't haunt his mind. And he wasn't complaining.

It was at night, however, that he saw her vulnerability.

He would wait until she was fast asleep when he jumped in through her bedroom window. It was at this time of night that he could get as close as he wanted to her.

Every night, he saw she still had the old picture of Team Seven during happier times on her bedside table. It was something he tried not to look at.

Every night he would kneel down by her side and watch her sleep, listening to her soft breathing, see how peaceful she looked.

There were times when she would whisper out his name, tears sliding down her cheeks. It was then he started to realize just how much pain he put her through.

He would wipe off the tears, brushing the back of his hand against her warm soft face. He knew it was his touch that always calmed her down and he never got tired of it.

He would stay with her until the moon left the sky and the first signs of daybreak would peek over the horizon.

And every morning, like clockwork, Sakura would shoot upright with widened eyes, franticly saying Sasuke's name. But when she realized there was no one around, a frown would cover her pretty face. Her hand would go to her cheek and could tell it felt all too real for it to be just a dream.

Sasuke knew he was taking his time making his presence known, but he had a plan. A special day was coming up and, even though it caused heartbreak for Sakura, her waiting would finally come to an end.

"Great job today Sakura!"

"Thanks!" The pinkette smiled back, waving good-bye.

She always felt so good after work. She loved the feeling of being able to help people in their time of need. She never wanted to go back to the way she used to be.

She had received a message from her sensei and went straight to the Hokage Tower, reporting to her sensei's office.

"As always, wonderful job today Sakura." Tsunade said not looking up from her stack of papers after hearing the door open and shut.

Sakura smiled and walked up to her desk.

"Thank you Tsunade-sama. You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?"

It was then that Tsunade looked up from her papers seriously, folding her hands on her desk.

This sudden seriousness worried Sakura.

"Sakura, I've noticed that you've been awfully tired lately." It wasn't a question. "Not only that, I've noticed you don't go straight home after your shifts at the hospital are up." Again, a fact, not a question.

Sakura stayed quiet. She knew Tsunade was smart but she didn't think her own teacher would keep tabs on her like a parent would a child.

"As you can figure out," Tsunade continued. "I know about your nightly training sessions. I will say I'm impressed by all your hard work. I just wonder how much more damage the training grounds can take." She chuckled.

"Like I said, I'm proud of you for being so dedicated to your training. But Sakura," Her seriousness came back. "I need you prompt and ready for missions. I can't have you tired with depleted chakra. Do you understand?"

Sakura nodded, having a feeling she knew what was coming next.

"I just can't risk sending you out on missions with the condition you've been in lately. You'll only end up getting hurt."

Sakura knew Tsunade was only looking out for her but she was doing her job as Hokage as well.

Her sensei's words seemed to trigger the past back to the kunoichi's mind.

As much as she hated it, she remembered how weak she was, how she was nothing but a burden. Sure, she was at the top of her class and managed to master everything before her teammates, but it was all for nothing. When real danger struck, she always froze up. She couldn't do anything; her fear got the best of her.

"Sakura."

Said girl brought her eyes off the floor and up to her sensei.

"I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to have to order you to stop all these nightly training sessions. The only time you will train is with me, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." The pinkette whispered softly, hiding the hesitancy behind her words and voice.

"You will still work shifts at the hospital but afterwards you will go straight home and rest."

"Understood." Sakura whispered again.

"All right then." Tsunade started to shuffle more papers around. "You have a while to rest before I summon you for a new mission."

"Yes ma'am." Sakura bowed respectfully then turned and left.

After her meeting with Tsunade, Sakura did what she was ordered and went straight home. Even though she was frustrated enough to say screw it and go train anyways, she did have some self-control. Plus, she really didn't feel like facing Tsunade's wrath. Just thinking about it sent shivers up her spine.

As she arrived home, the sky filled with oranges and pinks of the sunset.

She went straight into her room and collapsed onto her bed.

She stared up at her ceiling, thinking about nothing. But everything changed when she closed her eyes, thinking it would only last a few minutes. Before she knew it, she became lost in her own dream.

Sasuke held her close and tight, kissing her with such passion that made her head spin.

He was on top, his sweaty body clinging to hers as his tongue darted in and out of her mouth. His hands fondled her breasts, making small moans emit from her lips.

As one stayed, the other slowly traveled down her belly until two fingers plunged deeply inside of her.

A wave of heat swept through her, her moans getting louder with each pump in and out with increased tempo every time. With his fingers inside her, his hand on her breast, and him nibbling on her, she couldn't help but say his name over and over.

But then, all of his actions stopped.

She looked up at him, panting, a blush staining her face.

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"You ready for the main event my cherry blossom?"

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted, shooting up in bed, out of breath, sweat rolling down her temples, her body shaking. She looked around and, just like always, she was alone in night's darkness.

She sighed, her heartbeat calming down.

She got up and went over to the window where she pushed back the curtains. The full moons bright light pierced through the once lingering darkness. She slid the window open and a blast of the cool night air slapped her in the face.

She went back over to her bed and sat down, staring at the floor for a few seconds.

When she lifted her eyes they landed on the picture that was always at her side. She took it into her hands and looked down at the happier times of Team Seven.

But her eyes mostly focused on her childhood crush, the love of her life, Sasuke Uchiha.

Tears started to fall onto the frame and the sound of Sakura's crying filled her room.

Sasuke didn't find Sakura training like usual. He wondered if she got assigned a mission because her not training was just out of the ordinary, not routine.

Ever since he got back from killing Orochimaru, the training grounds was the one place he knew he could always find his cherry blossom.

Frustrated, he leapt out of the shadows.

He didn't stop anywhere as he searched for her; he knew there was only one other place she would be this time of night.

He stopped outside her open bedroom window and when he did, the wind brought a salty small to his nose. His eyes widened some as he peeked in.

Sakura was sitting on her bed, crying over Team Seven's picture.

Sakura…

He hated seeing her cry. It always reminded him of the night he left, the night he confessed her love.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard her speak softly to herself.

"Sasuke-kun…" She cried, breaking the silence in her own bedroom after some time. "Why did you leave me?"

Why am I even crying over you? I thought if…I became stronger…if I put my foolish love behind me…I would get over you…

"But I was wrong." She said aloud, wiping the tears away only for them to be replaced by fresh ones. "I still love you…I always have…I want you home…"

She realized today was the anniversary of that night. It was the day he left not only her, but the village as well. The night all he said was "thank you" before leaving her unconscious on a bench.

She may have acted like she was over it but the truth was she dealt with the pain everyday.

"And what would you say if you got that wish?"

Sakura gasped suddenly, her eyes widening. That voice was all too familiar. It sent her heart pounding wildly as her face heated up.

It…it can't be…

She blinked once and the next thing she knew, Sasuke Uchiha was right in front of her, closer then ever.

"Sas…Sasuke?"

Said Uchiha smirked, loving the way his little cherry blossom became flustered.

Distance and air separated the two shinobi's for the longest time, neither one of them saying a thing, not moving a muscle.

W-What's going on here? Sakura thought, her emerald orbs wide and gazing upon the man who stood before her. I-Is this…some sort of genjutsu? I-It has to be…Sasuke would never come back to Konoha…for any reason! So…why now? And why me?

Sasuke took another step forward reaching out and cupping her face, loving the feel of her soft skin.

He could feel how stiff her body had reacted to his touch, how hot her face became with just a mere touch of his hand.

"What's the matter Sakura?" He leaned in close to her ear. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

He took another step forward, making her move back in tow, which made her fall backwards onto her bed. He just chuckled, looking at her still shocked expression.

"I…I can't believe its really you…" She said softly, her mind boggling with what was currently happening, still thinking it was too good to be true, that it was nothing but another dream.

He just smirked and sat down next to her. When she turned her face, he took it into his hands again.

"Believe it."

They stared into each other's eyes for some time, silence surrounding them. But Sasuke was the first to break it.

"Sakura, is there something you wanted to tell me?"

She stayed quiet.

Sasuke then chuckled.

"Okay. Then I'll say it. Or better yet…show it."

In the blink of an eye, he had pulled her tightly against him and kissed her.

Sakura didn't know what hit her.

One minute Sasuke was just standing in front of her and the next he's actually kissing her! Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it would fly out. It took her a while to figure out this wasn't a dream.

Realizing this was real, that he was really here with her, that his touch was as real as real could get, she found the courage to kiss him back and mean it with as much passion as she could muster.

Sasuke was the first to pull away from the heated kiss. He ran his hand through her hair before resting on her neck.

"Sakura…"

"I love you."

She just blurted it out. She couldn't hold it in any longer.

Her emerald eyes met with onyx black orbs.

And to her surprise, he smiled.

"You haven't changed."

At first his words confused her. Those words could have had more then one meaning and, though he had kissed her with passion she didn't even know existed within him, that didn't mean things could change.

This was Sasuke she was talking about. He didn't fail to surprise anyone around every turn.

However, when his lips connected with hers once more, with a kiss just as heated and passionate as the previous one, Sakura understood.

Her feelings were no longer one-sided.

Reviews are always welcome!