After the Storm

Ch 1.

"Forgiven or No"

As Sakura headed home she sighed as the village walk way lights began to glow as the day began to end, the rain added a sense of peace after the war. Then she opened her apartment door and plopped on her bed.

'Sasuke-Kun even after all these years you still think I am annoying, though I was able to catch up to you and Naruto. As much as I try to I just can't stop loving you no matter what pain you put me through. Why can't you just return to the village where you belong? You defeated Itachi what more do you want? Don't you know without you here I feel empty?'

After he argued with Naruto, Sasuke ran off and Naruto sighed.

'Damnit Sasuke, do I really have to go after you and drag you back to the village where you belong? I can't let you go back into the darkness I won't allow it.'

Kakashi looked at Naruto.

"You know what you have to do, don't you? But first I'd go see somebody, before you do."

Naruto looked at him dumbfounded.

"Kakashi-Sensei what do you mean by that? I need to catch up to him before he leaves again. I don't have time to stop anywhere else. If he leaves I will never get him back and you know this."

Kakashi shook his head.

"Naruto, I watched you grow from Team 7, and know you don't mean a word of what you just said. We both know he isn't going anywhere far except to a place you both know. It will not throw you off if you just stop one place and you know I am right."

Naruto sighed as he left. As he made his way toward final valley he saw Hinata by his house and approached her.

"Hinata-Chan, what are you doing by my house? Shouldn't you be at the Hyuga Compound right now, that the war is over."

She heard his voice and stuttered trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"N-naruto K-kun I was actually heading there but umm."

He looked at her confused.

"But umm, what?"

She stood up and stared into his blue eyes and blushed even more.

"I-I wanted to m-make sure you were okay that's all I will be heading h-home now."

He smiled at her.

"Hinata-Chan, I am fine. Why are you so worried about me suddenly? Is there something you want to tell me, or have been trying to tell me but end up fainting? I've noticed, especially when you risked your life and fought Pein when you knew you didn't have a chance. You almost died trying to protect me."

She looked up and then back down.

"I-I…fainted because I-I couldn't f-face you and tell you something. I-I wasn't b-brave enough, and tried so many times to tell you but I j-just couldn't even during the war after B-brother N-Neji died I just c-couldn't and s-still can't."

He looked at her.

"Couldn't what, Hinata please answer me."

She looked blushing.

"I-I l-love you, a-always have N-Naruto-K-Kun."

There was silence between them. He smiled at her.

"I heard you the day you fought Pain and lost it when he killed you. I love you too Hinata-Chan, just couldn't tell you because I never was loved. Why don't you come inside until the storm passes?"

She looked up and froze.

"M-me in y-your house, alone? W-weren't you h-heading somewhere before I-I s-stopped you?"

He looked at her.

"Yes but, I'll wait until the storm passes. Come inside before you get sick. I don't bite."

She blushed as she followed him inside and took her shoes off. He looked around and saw how much of a mess his place was.

"Umm, sorry about the mess. All I have is instant ramen to eat."

She giggled and blushed.

"I-I like r-ramen too N-naruto-K-kun."

He smiled at her as he made two cups of ramen and handed one to her.

"Can't believe Neji died to protect us, I guess I know what he meant now before he died. I guess he wasn't as blind as I was when it came to you. He knew what I meant to you and died to protect us, because he knew that the only one that could make you happy was me. Why didn't you just come to me and tell me Hinata-Chan."

She looked up from her ramen and sighed.

"Because you were so in love with Sakura-Chan, I thought I would get rejected."

He swallowed his ramen.

"Oh, yea I did make it seem that way didn't I? That is very hard to explain, but let's not worry about it right now okay. Let's get some sleep that war and Madara's Tsukuyomi put you through a lot today."

She looked blushing.

"Y-you want me to s-spend the n-night with y-you N-naruto-K-kun?"

He looked at her and smiled.

"That is if you want to, you really don't have to."

She froze as she gazed into his blue eyes and blushed.

"B-but there's only one bed. Where will I-I sleep?"

He looked at her.

"In the bed with me or I can sleep on the couch and you can have the bed."

She stayed silent as she watched him lay on the couch and drift off to sleep.

'He looks so peaceful when he sleeps, but he doesn't feel the same way about me that I do about him. He never will, we'll just stay friends.'

She laid on his bed and drifted off to sleep.

~In the meantime at Sakura's apartment~

Sakura was on her window sill reading a book when she saw a shadow by the window shaped like Sasuke. She looked and shook her head.

'Come on Sakura, your mind is playing tricks. He already called you annoying and isn't coming back to the village again. Just give up he will never return his love to you, like he did when you were younger.'

The shadow stayed by the window, and Sakura froze. Then she heard a knock on the window and her heart beat fast, she was ready to strike if it was a stranger trying to get in her apartment. Her mind told her not to open the window, but her heart told her too. She built enough Chakra in her arm as she opened the window and went to punch the intruder. Her arm was grabbed, and a familiar masculine voice was heard.

"Sakura, were you actually going to hit me?"

She froze and looked up.

"S-Sasuke-Kun? W-What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?"

He looked at her as his eyes went back to normal.

"I watched when you left the battle field after I put you in that genjutsu."

She shook her head and pinched herself thinking she was dreaming.

'Snap out of it Sakura, it's not Sasuke he left the village again and isn't coming back.'

He sat on her window sill and gazed into her green eyes.

"Sakura-Chan you're not dreaming, it's really me. Can I come in, or do you want me to leave?'

He looked at her and asked.

"How can you still be in love with someone that hurt you repeatedly and tried to kill you twice! Why haven't you moved on and found someone better than me that will treat you right. Why do you choose to suffer?"

She looked into his eyes and responded.

"Sasuke-Kun I never stopped loving you and never will hate you. Why can't you just accept the fact that when you left I was so empty, and no one could ever fill that spot in my heart but you. Yes, you have hurt me repeatedly, and I cry every night for you, but I will never stop loving you, I just can't. I can't see myself with anyone else but you, if I can't be with you I will remain single."

He came inside when she turned her back and started to cry again as she held the locket close to her.

"Sakura-Chan turn around."

She turned around as tears fell as she held the locket tighter. He saw her gripping the locket tightly and his eyes widened.

"You still have that from the night I left?"

She looked up.

"Yes Sasuke-Kun I do, why wouldn't I? It's the only picture I have of us when we were together, and you were happy in the village."

He looked at her.

"After I knocked you out, I placed that in your hand and did one more thing that you won't remember before I left because you were knocked out cold. "

Her eyes widened as he moved closer to her, her heart raced rapidly in her chest as he grabbed her in a tight embrace. She fought to get out of his embrace but eased in, wrapping her arms around him holding him close.

"W-what was that Sasuke-Kun, and why can't I remember? I woke up on the bench and you were gone."

He lifted her chin and placed a kiss on her lips, as he embraced her tightly. Her cheeks turned red as she felt his lips on hers and embraced him more tightly as her heart rapidly beat inside her chest in his arms. He pushed her down to her bed and kissed her with more passion with his shirt wide open as he moved his hands inside her shirt rubbing her stomach. Sakura closed her eyes as she slid off his shirt and traced his abs as they continued to make out on her bed.

"Sasuke-Kun I missed you so much, does this mean you're home and that you feel the same way about me?"

He smirked down at her as he stopped kissing her.

"I have always loved you Sakura-Chan, but I can't come back to the village. I am a criminal, they want me dead."

She looked into his eyes as tears fell.

"So, you're going to leave again, and be alone? When you know how much I love you. Why can't you just start new and ask for forgiveness. They should pardon you from your crimes you helped us Save Konoha."

He put his shirt back on and shook his head as he went out her window saying.

"Maybe I did but I am a rogue ninja. I'll be back time to time to come see you. Bye Sakura-Chan I love you."

She got off her bed and screamed.

"Sasuke-Kun, please don't leave me again I feel nothing but emptiness without you here with me."

He was gone, but she followed him without him knowing wondering if she could see where he was heading.

~At Naruto's house~

Naruto woke up, and covered Hinata with his comforter kissing her forehead.

'Hinata-Chan, if I survive this I will tell you how I truly feel about you. But I have something to do before I can, I hope you understand.'

He put his headband on and closed his door quietly as he made his way toward Final Valley.

'Fine Sasuke, you want it this way you got it. I will not let you go back in the darkness, you're my brother and you belong in the village with the rest of us. I will bring you back by force.'

(Disclaimer I do not own any of the characters they belong to Masashi Kishimoto)