*Awkwardly stands there* Hello everyone...long time no see! If you are all rereading this chapter then you must realize that I have changed it quite drastically from the first time I wrote it. It's been years since I started this story and well. Me now vs me then I couldn't help but find my writing cringy so I decided to sorta slowly re-write the story but still follow along some of my original concepts.

Of course I will disclaim that I don't own any rights to Naruto and any of the Naruto Characters, those belong rightfully to Masashi Kishimoto.

I'm sorry for those who have been waiting for future updates, I will do my best...though I'm getting up there in age. Being out of high school and adulting has taken up a lot of time but I do hope to someday finish. Thank you!

Sakura of the Akatsuki!

Chapter 1: Sakura, thank you...

Her heart was raging in her chest, pounding against her rib cage as she ran. She was screaming, though the only thing that filled her ears was the chirping of a thousand birds. She ran blindly with her arms outstretched. She stood between the inescapable collision, trembling at the possibility of her own demise at the hands of her teammates.

"Both of you! Stand down!" She pleaded desperately.

Her eyes were screwed shut. She couldn't look at them. But she could feel their power getting closer. The strong wind of Naruto's new strange Jutsu and the heat of Sasuke's Chidori.

Am I going to die? She wondered frightfully.

The sound of flesh slapping flesh met her ears as a gust of wind took her by surprise. Eyes snapping open at the shouts of her teammates she was greeted by the sight of their Jonin Sensei. Kakashi stood there like a vengeful God, his one eye narrowed dangerously. He was slightly crouched, arms extended before him. Sakura blinked.

He…caught them and threw them!

She clasped her trembling hands and brought them to her chest. The urge to fall to her knees was strong as the relief poured over her like a bucket of water. Sakura peered over her shoulder as Naruto and Sasuke's cries rang out as they collided with the two water tanks. Sasuke's arm was trapped within the bent steel and Naruto was on his hands and knees after a rough collision. They damage they did was indescribable.

Kakashi stood straight, his hand resting on his hip. Sakura couldn't see his face as she stared at his back, the red swirl on his flak jacket standing out against the green.

"Hey, you two!" He snapped. "What are you doing fighting on the roof of the hospital? If you're fighting, you're getting too heated. Both of you."

Sakura stood by as she observed her two teammates who did not bother to answer their Sensei's question. Sasuke grunted as he aggressively yanked his arm from the water tank, water gushing out of the wound. She saw how his dark eyes went over to inspect Naruto's damage and smirked smugly as he spotted just a little hole that was leaking.

Kakashi left her side to sit upon Sasuke's damaged tank, his arms resting casually on his knees at he leaned over to stare down at the dark hair boy.

"Why are you so obsessed with your superiority complex, Sasuke?" Kakashi wondered.

Sakura looked on as her crush's head snapped up, glowering. His brows were knitted, his nostrils flared, his jaw clenched. He was the picture of wrath. Kakashi was no better as his single grey eye singled out his student, his disappointment evident.

"That level of Chidori just now isn't an appropriate technique to be used here against your own comrade. Were you trying to Kill Naruto?" His tone was almost accusing.

Sakura took a sharp intake of breath. Her heart still racing. There was simply no way that Sasuke would try and kill Naruto. Right? They were a team. Naruto's blue eyes were locked onto their silent teammate, his hands were clenched and his teeth were bared. He was angry.

"Where did…such immature behavior come from?" Kakashi questioned. This time it was directed at both his students.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but paused as Sasuke stood. Without much ceremony he leapt over the fence and disappeared from her sight, just leaving her with Kakashi and Naruto in silence. She clenched her hands harder, her gaze lowering. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes welled up. Sakura sniffled quietly but was unable to stop the tears from tumbling over as they cascaded down her cheeks.

"Kakashi-Sensei…" She whimpered.

She just cried. She cried for Naruto, she cried for Sasuke, and she cried for herself. All that pressure that she had been feeling since the Chunin Exam boiled over. She never noticed Kakashi discreetly talking to someone or Naruto jumping down back onto the rooftop. Her chest just hurts. Just understanding now that she would have died. Something that was meant to possibly kill Naruto would have killed her instead. Her childhood crush would have killed her. She sniffled loudly, scrubbing her face to try and abate the tears.

Her breath hitched when her Sensei landed in front of her. Kakashi bent over, his hands on his knees so they were eye leveled. He was giving her his signature closed eye smile.

"It's all right. Things will go back to the way they used to be!" He said to her. His voice was kind and assuring.

The corner of Sakura's lips curled as she wiped away the last of her tears, grateful to his kind-heartedness. She nodded her head in thanks, not trusting her voice to form proper words. He gazed down at her for a few moments before vanishing. That just left her and Naruto together. Seeing her usually loud teammate being so quiet was unnerving. His hands were clenched still as he approached her. But he refused to make eye contact. It was the first time he refused to look at her.

"Sakura-chan…" He murmured. "Don't stop us…"

Her heart squeezed painfully. He didn't want her help or interference either. She felt so small in front of him. His blue eyes were penetrating when he finally looked at her. What can she do if she couldn't get in the way of their next fight?

"Promise me…don't tell Naruto about the Seal. I don't want him worrying about it." Sasuke's voice said to her. The promise in which he forced her to make in the Forrest of Death, and one she kept because she loved him. The look of guilt formed on Naruto's face, he looked sincerely sorry for upsetting her. She took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly.

Maybe there is something I can do.

"Naruto, I need to tell you something." She said, her voice strong and determined. "I'll go on a date with you, so come with me."

"Eh!?" He screeched, eyes going round.

She didn't wait for his answer when she turned on her heel and started towards the door that served as the exit. Naruto stammered behind her but followed her nevertheless. She was mostly quiet the whole way but she had taken him from the hospital to the park that lead to the main gates. She sat him down next to her and spilled everything. All the things that had happen during the Exams, about Sasuke's mark and odd behavior since. She told him about Orochimaru and the team from Sound. She didn't hold back.

And Naruto just listened. For once he never butted into her sentences, this was the most serious she ever saw him as he considered her words.

"So that's what happened…I never knew." He said once she was done. His blue eyes raked over her short hair. Sakura kept her hands firmly on her lap, resisting the urge to comb her fingers through the pink tresses out of self-consciousness.

Naruto sighed and stared off into the trees. "Orochimaru…I met him while I was away."

"Really!?" Sakura gasped.

"I heard he was one of the Legendary Sannin. He's really powerful and also very dangerous."

Sakura bit on her lower lip, her eyes glossy as worry gnawed at her from the inside. She blinked to keep the tears at bay. She turned her head to look at the ground and hides behind the curtain of her pink hair.

Sasuke-kun…

How could anyone be able to stand up to one of the Sannin? Especially if they're as strong as Naruto claimed them to be. She felt a sense of dread in her heart. She thought of everything that Orochimaru said and she feared for the worse.

"Don't worry!"

Sakura's green sea foam eyes snapped to Naruto when his voice broke through her dark thoughts. He was giving her his signature grin. "Sasuke won't give in to someone like that! He's strong enough as is! I promise!" His words touched her. She couldn't help but smile back. Naruto's smiles were always infectious. And she found that she had grew rather fond of them.

"Thank you." She said to him sincerely.

Naruto chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

Sakura bid him farewell after talking with him a little while longer, turning down his invitation to Ichiraku and promising him that she would go with him a next time before heading home. She was happy to have someone like Naruto on her team. She never expected to rely on him as much as she did now, things have certainly changed since their Academy days.

They've all changed.

Naruto.

Sasuke.

Kakashi.

But had she really changed?

When she arrived home her parents greeted her, happy to see their daughter. Sakura's heart wasn't into her greeting back. Sensing something was off her parents left her to her own devices. Though Sakura wasn't sure if her dad was mumbling something about pre-teen angst. Sakura hid in her room to see on her balcony to overlook the village. She crossed her arms and rested it on the railing and placed her chin on her arm.

The incident at the hospital replayed in her head. Much like the other recent events. Something just didn't sit well with her. She wanted to place her faith in her Sensei and her teammate that everything was going to turn out well in the end, but why did it feel like otherwise? Sakura turned up towards the sky, a small flock of birds were flying as one unit together, and all except one that seemed to be making its own path in the sky…she watched the solitary bird until it was no longer visible.

Something was going to happen tonight.

Something life changing.

She could feel it.

火

Sakura hid behind the trunk of a tree, her back pressed against the rough bark. She was having a staring contest with the crescent moon in the sky. She would never win against the moon's unwavering stare until the New Moon but it helped her pass the time. She knew what was too come. She prayed to the Gods that she was wrong and that nothing will happen tonight.

She wanted to be wrong for once.

She stayed until midnight, the sound of solitary footsteps reached her ears and she just knew who it was. Taking a deep breath, she encouraged herself to be brave and stepped out from behind the tree and set her eyes on the lone figure of Sasuke Uchiha.

He was talking his time walking, his hands buried deep into his pockets and Sakura's heart fractured at the sight of his backpack.

Sasuke stopped a foot away from her, his onyx eyes piercing. "Why are you prowling around here in the middle of the night?" He drawled.

"I knew you'd come this way if you were to leave, so I just waited here." Her heart accelerated in her chest and the inside of her palms turned clammy.

"Get out of here and go back to sleep."

Sakura grimaced at his cold tone. He continued on his way, stepping around her and leaving a distance between them that hurt her more than any blade. She shuddered, tears ran down her cheeks. She turned to face him before he could get any further from her. She needed to know.

"Why won't you say anything to me?" She said weakly, "Why do you keep so quiet? You never say a single word to me…?" She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her chest was tearing itself apart and she felt like she was agony. All she ever wanted to do, was to be there for him. Why was he pushing her and everyone else away?

"I told you: I don't need your help. Don't try to look after me."

A bitter smile reached her lips, her hands hung limply at her sides. "No matter what. You just hate me, don't you?" She couldn't suppress the nervous chuckle that escaped her. "You remember don't you?" she pressed. He didn't leave, his back was still to her. That was a good sign, he was listening to her and that gave her a dangerous feeling of hope. "When we became Genin, the day when our team was first decided… the first time we were here by ourselves, you were so mad at me."

She remembered it so vividly. Like it was yesterday.

Don't you remember, Sasuke-kun?

She remembered her harsh comments about Naruto and he berated her for not understanding the concept of loneliness. How different it was for having parents being mad versus having no parents to teach the error of her ways…she had made so many thoughtless comments then. She had learned to treat Naruto better and more thoughtfully from then on, despite him not having parents…much like Sasuke who also didn't have parents.

She was fond of that memory.

"I don't remember that."

She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Yeah, I guess you're right. That's all in the past now, huh?" She rambled. "That's when it all began though. You and me along with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei." She was inwardly begging for him to say something, but she persisted. "We did all sorts of missions, just the four of us. It was painful and difficult at times even though that…I still enjoyed it."

She had developed strong bonds to them all, she cared for her comrades. She knew that deep down he must have felt the same. His change of behavior, his sudden renewed obsession on revenge…

She was scared that it would just end up destroying him in the end.

"I know all about your past Sasuke-kun." She confessed. She took a hesitant step forward to the Uchiha. "Even if you get revenge it won't bring anyone happiness. Not even you Sasuke-kun…nor me…"

"I already know." Came his answer. "I am different from you all. I can't follow the same path as you guys…" Sakura's eyes prickled with more tears. "Up until now, we've done everything as a group, but there is something else I must do. Deep inside my heart I've already decided on revenge, for that that reason only do I live."

Sakura shook her head despite him not looking at her to see it, denial clawing its way up her throat.

"I'll never be like you or Naruto!" he spat.

"Do you really want to go back to being alone!?" She demanded, her hand reaching out toward him. "You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now, I know you're pain!" She sobbed pitifully, "I may have friends and family, but…if you were to leave…" She gasped, taking a few shuttering breaths. "To me…to me…I would be just as alone as you are…" She pressed her hand to her chest, above her frantic heart. She wanted to stop the pain. She wanted him to stay.

Please…

"From here on out, we all begin new paths." Sasuke said quietly but firmly.

"I…" she stumbled weakly, her fingers tightly gripped the front of her red dress. Gritting her teeth, she stomped her foot and yell out, determination flooding her. She could still convince him to stay with them, with her. "I love you with all my heart!" Her confession of her love echoed into the night. Her anxiety reared as she continued to yell at him "If you were to stay with me here, there would be no regrets. Because, every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy…I swear! I would do anything for you, so please, just stay with me!" Sakura was gasping, choking on her tears. Was anything she was saying getting to him? Can he sense the sincerity of her words?

If he wouldn't stay here….

"I'll even help you with your revenge. I don't know what I can do, but I'll try my best to do something." She sniffled, and trailed off feebly. "So please…stay with me or take me with you if you can't stay here."

Never in her life had she cried so many tears. Her sobs resonated around them and Sakura hunched over, defeated.

"You really are annoying."

Sakura's head snapped up, looking at the pale face of the boy she loved. And for the first in a long time, saw that small rare smile on his face. He turned his back to her and started on a path she knew she could not follow.

"Don't leave!" She begged. She ran a few steps forward, her brows pinched. "If you do I'll scream!" Even she could admit the threat was weak.

Sakura was caught off guard when he disappeared from her sights. His presence was behind her, so close that she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck.

"Sakura…" Sasuke said, his voice almost gentle. "Thank you…"

Thank you? She wondered. She just stood there in front of him, shivering. Why…was he thanking her? She failed him, she failed Naruto and Kakashi-sensei. He was going to leave…

She opened her mouth to say something to him and felt something hard connect to the back of her neck. Her vision swam as darkness quickly descended on her, she barely felt his arms coil around her.

Sasuke-kun…

She knew no more as the darkness swallowed her whole.

火

"Hey, wake up!" Someone shouted. "If you sleep like this you'll catch a cold."

Sakura's eyes fluttered open and flinched when the light of the sun temporarily blinded her sensitive eyes.

Where…am I?

She felt so cold. She groaned as slowly became more aware of her senses. She blinked for a few moments until last night's events replayed in her mind like a Tsunami. She bolted upright in a sitting position, "Sasuke-kun!" She screamed. Her eyes darted frantically for her dark hair teammate. She began to hyperventilate when she saw no signs of him anyways.

"No, no, no…" she moaned miserably.

"Ummm…are you okay?" That same voice who woke her up asked. Sakura turned and saw Izumo and Koteshi standing there, staring with wide eyes over the stacks of books and papers they both held. They were clearly puzzled by her disheveled state.

"Hagane-san…Kamizuki-san…" She whimpered, "Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun has left the village!" She pressed her face into her hands and wept. The two Chunin stood there awkwardly, their shock shown on their faces at the news of the last surviving Uchiha had disappeared. Giving her story to them the two Chunin swiftly made their way to report to the Hokage.

Sakura didn't know what to do with herself once she finally stopped herself from crying. She just sat there on the stone bench for what seemed like an eternity and rubbed her arms. The friction did not provide her any comforting warmth…she could barely remember the feeling of Sasuke's arms around her when he knocked her unconscious. When she finally had the strength she wandered through the village like a ghost.

Many civilians stay cleared of her, wary of the girl who probably looked worse for wear. She must have been quite the site with her puffy red eyes and tear stained face. When she had made it to the main gate she saw the distant figures of an assembled team, Lee was even there standing on the sidelines with his crutch tucked under his arm. But the bright orange and blue jacket stood among them like a beacon. Sakura's walked faster in order to meet them. They were just about to leave.

"Wait!" She shouted.

The gathered team turned towards her. Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, Neji and Akamaru all turned their gaze to her.

"Sakura-chan!?" Naruto sputtered, his eyes taking in her sorry state.

Shikamaru nodded his head in greeting. "I heard the story from the Hokage. Sorry, but I can't take you on the mission." He said bluntly. "Even you couldn't convince Sasuke-san, right?"

Sakura's fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms.

"It seems like we got to force him to understand. Sakura, your job is done."

She couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. Just when she had just managed to stop…

"What…Sakura-chan, you already met with Sasuke!?" Naruto pushed his way through his team to reach her. He paused at the sight of her tears, eyes wide. Even Lee looked on with concern.

"Naruto! I beg you! Please…please bring Sasuke-kun back!" She held her hands together tightly and pressed it to her stomach, her stomach rolling with nausea. She felt so sick, "I couldn't do it…I couldn't stop him! The only person who could probably save Sasuke-kun now is you, Naruto. Only you…" she trailed off brokenly. Her face burned with the same of her failure to help her teammate. She should have done more!

Naruto's face turned into one of understanding and recognition. He gave a closed eye smile, his cheeks flushing "Sakura-chan, you really like Sasuke huh?" Sakura raise her gaze to meet his. "I know how much pain you are in because of Sasuke. I can understand."

She could only cry harder. Recalling her time with Sasuke, telling him her thoughts on Naruto and how she thought he was annoying. She was such a horrible person then. She did not deserve him as her friend with the kindness he was showing her now. She hugged herself tightly, shaking like a leaf in the wind as she bowed forward slightly. Her eyes clenched shut. "Naruto, thank you."

Naruto beamed at her, giving her a thumbs up. "Don't worry! I'll bring him back! A promise of a lifetime!" he exclaimed.

Saying their goodbyes to her the team took off, ready to go pursue Sasuke. Sakura could only helplessly watch their backs as they left. Lee being her only companion who had offered her some comfort since he too, was left behind.

Sakura waited for so long after. Her heart daring to hope, Naruto being the light of it. She realized that her friend was like the sun. Bright and constant, lighting the way and chasing away the darkness. If he could chase away her darkness then he could do the same for Sasuke. Despite her love for him, she knew that the bond that they shared was much stronger.

When Ino had come forth to tell them that Naruto and the team was back, she learned that they had failed to bring Sasuke back.

That day, she shattered to nothing.

Favorite, subscribe, and review! Thanks very much for reading!