Author's Note: This was an idea I had for a very long time, but I just now decided to write it up; I'm using it for a story contest and to appease some fans. Yes, I can still write SasuSaku!
It's Not Over
Sakura's arms flew over her head as she ran; they were throwing rocks at her again. There were times that they didn't feel name calling was enough to hurt her and break her spirit, so they'd taken to stoning her in the last few weeks. She still had bruises from the first attack. Small pebbles pelted her skin and back as she ran, trying to escape from a punishment she didn't deserve.
One girl stopped, aiming and hitting her in the back of the knee. Her leg buckled, ankle twisting until she fell face first into the grass. It was painful. Sakura tried to stand back up, but the pelting rain of stones kept her down. They were hitting her arms, her legs, her back… it was all she could do to force her body into a fetal position.
That was the day she'd realized who he was; he caught a stone that was meant to hit her neck. The girls had stopped in their tracks, watching him with questioning eyes until he'd frightened them off. Sakura had been confused when he pulled her up onto her knees; why was he helping her? No one helped her. She blinked when his face came into view.
His eyes were gentle and cold. She was captivated.
I was blown away, what can I say?
It all seemed to make sense
The same boy, a different time; this time, the one aiming for her neck was him. Sakura had been by his side, helping him, keeping his secrets… and he was tearing her heart out. He was leaving. Sasuke was leaving, and she had no power to keep him in the village. Shikamaru would later state that since even she couldn't convince him, they'd need force to get him back. At that moment, though, she hadn't cared what she meant to him. She just wanted him to stay, so she'd confessed.
She hadn't thought before blurting out her feelings. It had been obvious, she'd reasoned later; Sasuke had known all along what she felt for him. It hadn't been a secret. The confession wasn't needed, but his reaction… it hadn't been what she was expecting.
Softly smirking lips and the same gentle, cold eyes; he had her heart, and he knew it.
"You really are annoying."
The black that had surrounded her after hearing his thanks was filled with dreams of that face and those eyes. It was what she strove for, what she fought for. He hadn't rejected her. That was the hope she clung to.
You've taken away everything
And I can't deal with that
I try to see the good in life
But good things in life are hard to find
We'll blow it away, blow it away
Can we make this something good…?
When I try to do it right this time around
The mission was a failure, and he'd been so close. She could still feel the tension in the air when she'd charged; she could still see the look he'd given her. He was shocked—and for the first time in two and a half years, she saw those gentle, cold eyes again. It had been for a millisecond, but it was enough for both of them to understand.
The emotions were still there—they were buried, but they existed in both of their hearts. He had his goals, and he was willing to destroy his life and emotions for that goal. She had been willing to harm him to bring him back. He was willing to sever the ties. She was willing to lose her life.
Both of them had walked away from the battle as the only participants who remained uninjured.
Sakura held the photograph of Team 7, crying silently against a backdrop of stars and night sky. She had been so close… so close… and still, she was too weak to do what she'd promised herself she'd do. It seemed hopeless. What had these last few years of training been for if he could get that much stronger in the same amount of time?
There was one way to counteract his surge of strength, she reminded herself. It was a stretch to really believe he'd been using a jutsu to gain the monstrous strength he had in the last few years, but the idea of him using a pill was likely. She'd researched Orochimaru and his forbidden experiments, and found one created through years of research and trails. It was dangerous. It was deadly.
With this knowledge, she had the upper hand. She wasn't a medical kunoichi for nothing; Sakura knew how to deal with these kinds of medicines.
Let's start over
Try to do it right this time around
It's not over
There's a part of me that's dead and in the ground
This love is killing me
But you're the only one
It's not over
Tsunade hadn't like the idea. It was secret mission Sakura had designed herself. It was dangerous. She didn't care. There was a low possibility that she'd actually find what she was looking for, but without it, she could get no where. Sakura needed the proof before they could get any closer to Sasuke.
Everything was ill lit as she edged her way back into the hall. Sakura hadn't been surprised to see that the previous battle ground was unoccupied. They had moved on, and taken most of the evidence of their occupation with them. She diligently searched through every room, inspecting nooks and crannies most wouldn't imagine existed. It had to be thorough. She had to do it right the first time.
Her eyes hurt from the lack of lighting before she walked into the final room. The floor was still upturned; there were pieces of furniture spread around in disarray. She edged in, pulling slick black gloves over her hands to aid in climbing. It was possible that this room had what she wanted. Sai had told her Sasuke had been sleeping in here when they found him. If it was his room, he may have kept the medication inside somewhere.
The research said the pills were a light brown color. That was going to make them hard to find with a room full of dirt, pebbles and boulders. Sakura kept her eyes on the floor and every corner as she slowly shifted around the room toward a table with a drawer still intact. It slid open after a bit of force.
A bottle was in the back corner, stuffed under sheets of paper and ninja supply. Sakura sat back on a rock behind her, opening the bottle and tipping the contents into her palm. Small, brown pills filled her hand, rolling against the folds of her glove and running like a small river toward her fingertips.
She had been right. "Sasuke-kun, you know these will kill you one day, don't you?"
Sakura had been aware of his presence since she walked into the room.
Taking all I can take and I cannot wait
Wasting too much time
Being strong, holding on
Can't let it bring us down
"You shouldn't be here."
She didn't bother turning to look at him. "Neither should you, Sasuke-kun."
Silence settled between the two as Sakura rolled the tiny pills between her fingers. He was sitting in the shadows, watching her back. She felt no reason to carry herself as anything else but nonchalant and comfortable. It may not have been a comfortable situation, and she was itching to take action, but there was an unspoken truth between the two of them; neither would attack.
At least, she smiled, not yet.
"Why are you here?"
"I came for these." She held the bottle over her shoulder so he could see. "I assume it's the same reason you're here. I beat you to them, didn't I?"
He was quiet again. She made no movement to break the silence as she stood, pouring the pills back into the bottle and stuffing it into her kunai pouch. She then proceeded to flip off the stone, facing Sasuke directly after a graceful landing. With a serene expression, she crossed her arms, waiting for his response.
He watched her with gentle, cold eyes. His hands were fisting together.
"I don't need to hurt you."
"You wouldn't be able to." She smiled. "I'm not weak anymore, Sasuke-kun, and if it takes my life, I'll get you to come back. Giving your body to Orochimaru will not solidify your revenge. All he wants is the sharingan, and once he gets it, he's no longer indebted to you."
There was no motion to quiet her. She took the iniative.
My life with you means everything
So I won't give up that easily
I'll blow it away, blow it away
Can we make this something good…?
Is this all misunderstood…?
When I try to do it right this time around
He blocked her fist with his palm; her attack speed was slow, but the force behind the punch sent him stumbling backward. Sasuke regained his balance, pushing one shoulder back and taking a defensive position. Sakura stood there, eyes of jade glaring inside the darkness of the shadows.
There was no need for words; they made a pact with the irises of their eyes and the furrows of their brows that neither would hold back. The outcome would be their fate forever. Kusanagi escaped its sheath, and he swung his back leg around, propelling off it and spiraling toward her. Sakura held steadfast, watching his movements and waiting for a falter in his steps.
Sword with numbing abilities or not, she could break it. What would Sasuke do without his sword? It seemed to be his favorite new toy as she couched to dodge it, swinging a leg under his to trip him up. He jumped over her to evade the kick. Her elbow flew behind her, jabbing roughly into the flesh and bone of his left leg. He took the sword and jabbed down toward her. She rolled off to the side, just to get her skirt caught in the attack and pinning herself to the ground.
Sasuke used the sword to balance. She'd crushed both bones in his calf with just an elbow. He realized then he had severely underestimated her as he used his good leg to kick her off the sword while balancing on the handle. She rolled from the force of the kick until her back hit a boulder nearby.
Pulling herself back to her feet, Sakura leaned on her knees and smiled. She could see Sasuke trying to stand without the help of his sword. He was a sitting duck; he'd lost the battle already.
"When did you learn to mix chakra into your attacks?"
She stood up straight, eyeing him as he finally sat back onto the ground, leaving his leg outstretched.
Let's start over
Try to do it right this time around
It's not over
There's a part of me that's dead and in the ground
This love is killing me
But you're the only one
It's not over
With a light green glow surrounding her palms, Sakura started to heal the damage she'd inflicted to his leg. He watched her silently, gritting his teeth.
"You were just careless." She stated.
His face was akin to one she remembered during his genin days; when Naruto would understand something before him. He was jealous and ashamed of himself for leaving an opening.
"I don't blame you. The last time you saw me, I didn't do much at all." She answered. "I knew how much you had grown; you had no idea about me."
Silence fell between the two of them again. She knew he wouldn't come back. He knew she wouldn't give up. They were intertwined together for the rest of their lives. She'd hunt him down, and he'd keep running until Itachi was dead.
She slowly took the bottle of pills out from her kunai holster when she finished. "Promise me you'll stop taking these."
"I need them."
Sakura glared at him. "These are going to kill you one day. You already hindered your chances at revenge by leaving Konoha; if you really cared about destroying your brother and avenging the clan, you would stop taking these pills and refrain from the body transfer."
He just watched her face, contorting with emotions he couldn't read. Concern, rage, and instinct drove Sakura's words and actions. She stood up, pulling Kusanagi from the ground and sheathing it for him. She held it out to him, waiting for him to reach for it.
"The next time we meet, Sasuke-kun, I'll be taking you back. This sword will be broken, and I'll defeat Itachi for you." She responded. "I'm going to prove you wrong, so you'll come back with me instead of running."
"That makes no sense."
"You want to come now, don't you?"
You can't let this get away
Let it out, let it out
Don't get caught up in yourself
Let it out
His ego wouldn't let him admit what she said; it was bruised enough knowing she was letting him go. Sakura wasn't stupid enough to bring him back when his heart wasn't in it; he'd just leave again. She'd have to chase him more.
"We're not going to abandon you."
She smiled. He watched her, with the same gentle, cold eyes. It was killing her, letting him go like this. She could have brought him back. She could have made him stay with her. Sakura was killing herself, watching him walk out of her life for a third time. It was almost too much, and the irony in her smile shined through the glossy unshed tears in her eyes.
Sasuke watched her. She watched him.
She kissed his forehead.
Let's start over
Try to do it right this time around
It's not over
There's a part of me that's dead and in the ground
This love is killing me
But you're the only one
It's not over
He remembered her face. Sasuke remembered the feel of her lips against his skin. He hadn't moved from his sitting position since she left the unoccupied lair. She was gone, and with her departure was a lagging stillness in the air that reflected her promises. She would be back. He would be waiting, just as she had been for the last two and a half years.
He hated to admit she'd outwitted him. Hadn't his rival been Naruto? It would seem that the bond he had been trying to sever hadn't been the one with Naruto. The one he wanted desperately to sever was the same one he wanted to keep the most—his bond with Haruno Sakura.
He wondered when she'd realize he'd left her there, knocked out on the bench, to keep her from the things she was shoving herself into now.
Let's start over
It's not over
This love is killing me
But you're the only one
It's not over.