Because
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto. (DARN!)
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Sakura's POV
I lied for him. But most of the time, he didn't notice. He was caught up in his own little world. Foggy memories kept him from the rest of us. Even though we tried. God, we tried… Sometimes I caught him at the bridge, staring. His eyes would be so unfocused and glazed… it was almost as if he wasn't really there. Just his body. Just his bones. And then, most of the time, I wondered where his heart was. Who kept it safe and warm for him? Who kept it beating? It wasn't me. I had long since figured that I wasn't the keeper of anything but his nightmares. Those he gave to me freely, since he just wanted to be rid of them. And he figured I wouldn't mind being burdened with such things.
Soon, I believe, I shared those nightmares with him. I woke up to them at night, in a cold sweat and my heart beating fast. Sometimes I couldn't breathe after that. I would just lie there in my bed, hand pressed above my left breast, where my heart was supposed to be, just struggling to breathe. I got so dizzy sometimes…
And then one day… Tsunade told me I was sick. She told me I needed to stop working. I didn't understand. I just stared at her, my arms shaking vigorously. I was sick. I might die. She told me I wouldn't, but I didn't know. Nobody did. And its news like that makes you think. About everything. All I did for days was walk and stare and think. One day, I started running, and again, I couldn't breathe. I ran to the field with the Sakura trees, and I collapsed. My knees just buckled and I fell.
And suddenly, he wasn't so foggy anymore. He came to me; he pulled me close to him, rocking back and forth. He kissed my forehead and scolded me, telling me how stupid I was. Then he kissed me on the cheek. His voice was so shaky, and he was so hysterical. I'd only seen him like that during one of his nightmares. He'd wake up and spill it all to me, but now he just hugged me tighter and tighter. He said he wasn't going to let go, and for the first time, I believed him.
"God Sakura… oh God…" he whispered into my ear. And then he kissed that too.
I pressed my hand to his chest, to make sure his heart was still beating, and it was. Then I pressed my hand to mine, and mine was beating too. "It's ok Sasuke," I whispered. "It's not so foggy anymore." He smiled and let out this quivering laugh.
"I know, it isn't," he replied. And then he picked me up. He did it so easily, as if I didn't weigh anything. He held me gently, as if I might break, but for the first time in a while, I felt strong. He carried me to his house and laid me on the bed. He laid down beside and wrapped his arms around me. "Just stay here, ok? Don't leave Sakura. Don't leave." He said it as I had planned it out.
I shook my head. "Why would I leave Sasuke?"
He was crying. His cheeks were tear stained and his eyes were red and puffy. "Just don't ok? You've got to wake up with me, ok? You promise you'll be here when I wake up?"
And then I understood what he was trying to say. What he was so scared of. "I'm not going to die on you Sasuke. I'm not going to, I promise."
He took in a shaky breath. "Ok."
I was cold, and he pulled the blanket to my shoulders. Then that night, I had another fit. I couldn't breathe again.
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Sasuke's POV
And then she had another fit. She was choking for air, her arms were flailing, and she was screaming my name. I told her I was right there, and for a minute, she would calm down, and then she would start crying and coughing. She reached out for me, and I took her hands. I held them tight, because she had promised me. She had promised me she would be there in the morning.
And I'd be damned if I didn't hold her to that.
I didn't know what to do. She was in this fog, and she didn't know what was going on. I called for Tsunade. I wanted her to fix Sakura. I wanted her to calm down, and then she would cuddle up in my arms and I would kiss her. I would hold her and never let go. Never.
By the time Tsunade got there, Sakura was able to breathe better, but she just laid there on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I was afraid. Oh God, I was afraid. She wasn't moving anymore, and her breaths came in short spurts. Tsunade told me to hold her down, and she gave her a shot. I wanted to know what was wrong. "She's sick Sasuke, that's the best we can do until we find a cure." And then she left.
Sakura was unconscious now, but I wrapped her up in a blanket so she wouldn't be cold, because it was a chilly night. I pulled her closer, my arms laced gently around her waist. I savored the sound of her breathing. Her deep, steady breaths… And it was then that I had time to think. About her. About my hysterical little blossom, the one I had resolved long ago to keep safe.
I hadn't wanted to burden her with my nightmares. I hadn't wanted her to know about them. Sometimes I think that's what made her sick, and I regret ever telling her about them. She hadn't been meant to; she was too innocent and delicate. I wished she could forget about them, and sometimes I wished she could forget about me too. Then maybe she wouldn't be so troubled. But I knew I had to stay with her, and I knew she wouldn't forget. I knew she didn't want to.
But I didn't know why. I had hurt her so badly, and pushed her away. But she never left. She always stood, watching, ready to catch me if I fell, and I silently decided to do the same for her, even if she didn't believe it.
I hated hurting her, and telling her those things. The things that weren't true. I hated it when she cried, or when she got mad. I wanted to make everything alright, but I didn't. I should've, but I didn't….
When I left, I wondered if she would forget about me. If she'd move on and find someone else she wanted to give her heart to, but she didn't. She waited. And when I came back she offered it to me again, and even though I didn't tell her right away, I had taken it. Because I wanted to keep it safe and warm. I wanted to keep it beating. And then I found out she was sick. I was afraid she might die. I didn't know what I would do if she did. She couldn't, she wasn't supposed to. I saw her fall that one day, and I was scared. I was scared.
"Don't worry Sasuke, what happens… happens." She always told me that, but I didn't like the way it sounded when it rolled off her tongue. Sometimes it sounded optimistic, but on bad days, I knew she was afraid, because I was too. There were days when she seemed normal, when she seemed like she always had before, but then there were days when she couldn't get out of bed. Or she tripped and fell. I wanted it all to end; I hated seeing her like that.
"C'mon Sakura, you've got to get better…"
I didn't know she was awake. "I'm trying Sasuke."
She smiled and I tried to smile back, but I all I could manage was a small twitch of my cheeks. "I know. And you're going to."
She pressed the top of her head into nape of my neck. "And then we'll have a family, right Sasuke? We'll have a big one."
I smiled. "Yeah, of course." I took her hand and stared at the ring on her finger. She was mine and mine alone, and nobody else could have her. I let out another shaky breath. "And we'll happily ever after."
Sakura smiled. "Something like that." She kissed my neck. I kissed her forehead.
Something like that.
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A/N: Hello all! I had this fic posted before, but then I accidentally deleted it while trying to fix another story. Well, I hope you enjoyed it as most the second time around.
Oh, sorry if I made any grammar or spelling mistakes. I always miss something, so don't worry about it.
Well, review please!
eb.