Hello! Okay so in this story, Naruto goes for a mission 2 years after he came back from his training with Jiraiya. Then 5 years later, he's about to come back. So let's say after those 5 years he's 19. (Which is to say Sakura is 19 too.)

Italics- flashback

Underlined- Thoughts

She was running, her heart pounding in her chest.

Over the past few days, Tsunade-sama had been hinting her about a hero returning home and yesterday, she announced it before the whole of Konoha.

She couldn't believe, after so many years. The feeling of finality that just rushed in her blood gave her no control over her body. She never slept last night. Instead, she was sitting in her living room, waiting and just urging for today to come.

"Finally, after 5 long years, Naruto Uzumaki is returning home!" Those were Tsunade-sama's words.

How was he? Was he injured? How did he look? Was he taller? How did he get by all by himself for the past 5 years? So many questions were screaming all at once in her mind and she knew that she would just have no peace until she found the answers, until she found him.

Did he bring back Sasuke?

She came to a halt, just a kilometer from the gates. Tsunade-sama never told of the outcome of his mission yet the whole village had cheered in happiness, as if a victory had been made. In her heart, she knew that the victory the villagers felt was not of the thought that Sasuke had been brought back but the fact that finally, Naruto was returning.

Naruto, the boy they all isolated.

Naruto, the boy who left for 2 years only to come back to be the villagers' protector.

Naruto, the boy who had become a man and set out to find his brother.

Naruto, who never once thought that the only one the villagers wanted to see come through the gates was him, and not Sasuke.

Sakura clenched her fists in frustration. Why did she stay up all night in anxiousness? Why was she so affected by the news of Naruto's return? Was it because she wanted to see him…or was it because she wanted to see Sasuke?

"Sakura-chan."

Sakura woke up, hearing the caressing whisper of her name, she drew out a kunai.

"Who's there?" She demanded, sitting up immediately.

A chuckle. She frowned, she knew that voice. Immediately, she relaxed and instead became very annoyed.

"What is it Naruto? Who said you can sneak up into my room like that? That's called trespassing, you know! Besides, what are you doing at a time like this, in the middle of the night?!" She shouted.

As he emerged from the darkness of the shadows, her breath caught in her throat.

He was giving her that look again.

She always could easily ignore and deny to herself of Naruto's love for her any other time but this look of his always stopped her short.

Those eyes. Those cerulean eyes that just bore into her, screwing up her insides and leaving her confused and breathless with the intense emotions it carried. Everytime she caught him looking at her like that, she just could not deny the truth that he loved her. Oh, how he loved her.

She always felt it when she stared into his eyes; it was so strong that it always blew her away. That's why she was always so scared when he looked at her like that. She just could not give him anything that was even close to what he practically poured for her.

"Sakura? Did you hear what I said?" Naruto's voice startled her back into reality.

"Oh, um no sorry, what did you say?" She asked, flustered.

"I said that I have to go now." He repeated with a smile on his face.

She inwardly sighed as the look went away, "Well good, I can get back to my sleep." She added.

He shook his head, "No, Sakura-chan. I meant I'm leaving for a mission."

She turned to him, "What? Right now? Wait, why are you only telling me this now?!" She demanded.

"Because I knew you'd try to stop me." He stated.

"But…you're going all alone? And what's the mission?" She sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, I convinced Tsunade to let me handle this alone this time" Naruto grinned.

Silence.

"And?" Sakura implored.

"What?" Naruto asked just a bit too innocently.

"What's the mission about, Naruto?" She glared at him.

The smile faded off from his face, "You know, Sakura-chan" He said solemnly.

She stood up, "NO! I'm not allowing you to go after Sasuke all by yourself, I'm going with you! Besides, he's my groupmate too."

She started going through her closet, packing things into a backpack, when she was done, she turned around.

"Okay, I'm done, we can-" She stopped short as she realized that he was gone.

"Damn!" she cured as she sat back on her bed. She looked down as she felt her fingers graze something. She held up the note on her bed that wasn't there before.

I knew you'd react like this, which is exactly why I left it until the last minute to tell you. I know that you'll probably try to catch up with me, which is why I had Tsunade-sama to assign you medic duties in the hospital. I know you won't go against her.

Naruto

P.S. I won't fail to keep my promise this time, you can count on me!

She winced as she read through the lines that mentioned the promise she made him take, the promise that ruled his life ever since. She knew his devotion to her and she just had to peg him down with her selfish request. She buried her face in her hands, crying.


She looked, up still in her memories when she saw those eyes.

Those eyes that had been haunting her ever since that night.

It was him, it was Naruto…all alone.

"Where's Sasuke?" She blurted out, unable to control herself.

Her heart pained as he winced and frowned. "I-I'm sorry, Sakura-chan."

It broke her heart.

No, no, NO! That's not what I meant! I meant to say I'm glad you're fine! I'm so happy you're home, after so long! Are you okay? Are you hurt? I don't care about Sasuke at all! All that matters is that you're safe and you're here. Her mind screamed.

But she could not find the words.

"I just came back to replenish my supplies and head back out to continue searching for him, I don't know what Tsunade said but this mission is not over yet, I'm not coming home just yet." He said hoarsely as he walked past her.

She blinked. Never did Naruto ever ignore her like that.

She turned as panic filled her, she grabbed hold of his wrist.

"B-but you're here already. There's no need for you to…" She trailed off as she saw his eyes filled with an unmistakable hollowness.

"Naruto?" She asked softly.

No, this isn't Naruto!

"You don't have to act strong in front of me, Sakura-san, you revealed yourself and your feelings by asking for Sasuke the moment you saw me." He said curtly as he turned to face her.

Sakura…san?

"That's why this mission isn't over, I promised you I'll get him back and I will. I just have to resupply- wait no. That's wasting time. I should have just continued with my search in the first place." He muttered more to himself.

She watched, terrified, as he started walking towards the gates this time.

"W-where are you going?" She asked shakily.

What happened, Naruto?

He looked over his shoulder, "I've wasted enough time traveling back here. I should return immediately to my mission."

Why are you so…cold?

"Wait, don't go…" she whispered helplessly, too soft for him to hear.

He stopped. Hope filled her as she waited to hear the words that he decided to stay instead.

"Tell Granny Tsunade…that I'm sorry." Then there was a flash of yellow. Then he was gone.

His last words echo-ed in her mind, until she realized what just happened.

It was her fault again. Why he left yet again.

He taught I never cared about him, just Sasuke.

He lied. He wasn't just stopping by to replenish, if it was like that, he wouldn't travel all the way back.

He really was returning home, with a failed mission on his hands.

And I just had to make him go, when I asked about Sasuke the first thing.

And he was telling her to say sorry for him to Tsunade-sama because he probably wasn't even planning to come home, like he said, but Tsunade-sama had convinced him…but there he was leaving.

Sakura fell to the ground in a heap, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She just had to break his heart yet again.

She stood up abruptly.

"No, I won't let him leave again like before. This time, I'll make him stay." She said to herself determinedly, wiping her tears away.

Sakura was running, her heart pounding in her chest.

Naruto, just wait. I'm going to bring you back home.

The sun rose and Tsunade woke up, her fingers grazed something on her bed that wasn't there before.

She held up the note, eyes widened at the words she read.

Tsunade-sama,

I've left to bring Naruto back home. You see, he came back but I just had to be selfish and said things that hurt him and now, he's continuing with his mission to bring back Sasuke. He'll never come back home unless he brings Sasuke back, until he can fulfill the promise I made him keep. I'll never have peace knowing he's out there all alone going through hell for me. Please understand that this is why I must to this, for his sake more than anyone else's.

I know you'd probably try to stop me so I left without a word, I'm sorry but I just can't stand back and watch him go like the last time.

Sakura Haruno

P.S. I am sorry to leave you with the horrible task of announcing to the village that Naruto will not be coming home, but I intend to make it up to you by bringing him back. I swear I will, sensei.


This is what I think would be an appropriate ending.

A sort of ironic fate for Team 7.

Sasuke leaving to chase after Itachi.

Naruto leaving to chase after Sasuke to bring him home.

And finally, Sakura leaving to bring Naruto back home.

I won't say whether Sakura has come to love Naruto and it's not like she hates Sasuke now, it's just that she has already given up on him ever coming back but Naruto still keeps trying to bring him back for her. Finally the guilt and her deep care for him pushed her to d the same for him.

-DarlingDearestdeadForever