-1For those of you who don't know me, I'm Austin Jade. Normally a GX writer, lately I've been finding just writing GX fics somewhat stale, so I've decided to spread out for a little bit (Still writing GX fics, just not as often). I'll admit, I wasn't a Naruto fan for the longest time. Then one of my friends tied me to a chair and forced me to read the first ten volumes of the manga, and now I'm hooked! So, I decided to write a NarutoxSakura fanficlet, but because I suck at making my own ideas, it's based off the song by Blake Shelton 'Don't Make Me', and, knowing my luck, someone else already did one. Great. Read and Review. Flames are welcome, but don't flame me for having her being somewhat of a harlot. Just read the whole story. She's not meant to be one, but that's what I wrote. Sue me.

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Naruto walked along the center square with his hands in his pockets, head hung low. It was almost dusk, notifying him it was time for his daily ritual of going to the Hokage monuments, watching the sun set, thinking about Haruno Sakura, and wondering what went wrong. Every morning, he would tell himself, today is the day he would get over his first, and only, love. Every time, around noon, he would think about his love the girl named after cherry blossoms, which ended five years ago. And every afternoon, he would find himself back at the monuments, watching the sun fall underneath the horizon.

To the twenty-two-year-old boy, the sunsets signified perfectly how their relationship went. At the beginning, they were inseparable. Both knew what the other was thinking, and his straightforwardness complemented her passion, and vice versa. They were originally partners, then friends, then they became intimate. Separately, they were bright stars in the sky, but when they were together, everyone saw it, the two just glimmered like the sun about an hour before it set.

However, cracks in their bonds showed before. Naruto saw when they first found Sasuke after three years, that she had froze in action when her eyes spotted the boy. That wasn't what really hurt, as the look she gave his eternal brother and rival. It was one full of love and passion, one that she had never given him. It was then that Naruto knew that Sakura's heart still belonged to the black-haired missing-nin.

Afterwards their relationship was different. The same ones who noticed before that they shined brightly before also had noted that their glistening had dimmed after the meeting. Naruto could sense it, as well, yet was too afraid of being permanently alone to tell Sakura that they should break it up, to leave her heart for her true love's return. The proverbial sun on his paradise was quickly setting.

Finally, the night had come for their love. It was at the final battle. Kabuto, then completely controlled by a supposedly-dead Orochimaru, had cornered Sasuke and sedated the weakened boy after the latter claimed vengeance over his older brother. This allowed for easy access to taking over the boy's body. With newfound power, body, and spirit, Orochimaru made good on his promise to return and annihilate the Leaf Village. Unluckily, or perhaps luckily if you look at it in a certain way, Akatsuki decided to choose this time to capture the final tailed-fox, the Kyuubi stored within Naruto, and also came to shed blood upon the village.

The three way battle of Akatsuki and its mind controlled servants, Orochimaru and the Sound's forces, and the Land of Fire's nin converged on the battlefield. Konoha appeared to lose ground early on, but the Land of Wind eventually arrived, led by the Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand. Most of the battle was a blur for Naruto, but there's one thing he remembers clearly and vividly, day and night, in his thoughts and his dreams. The Final Battle with Sasuke.

It was right after Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taicho, and Sai had been fighting Pein and Tobi, the latter revealed to be Akatsuki's true leader. Naruto drove the final blow into Pein, but had thought Tobi to be dead. Tobi showed his true form, powered by eight of the nine tailed demons empowering his body, when a lightening-blue hand speared Tobi in the dust from behind. The man fell forward and breathed his last breath showing the culprit to be and Orochimaru-controlled Sasuke.

The entire battlefield stilled, as they sensed the two's chakra flaring up. It was now just between the two, for all the chips. A final strike between the two proved to incinerate Orochimaru's remnants from Sasuke, as well as the cursed seal from the latter's back. Naruto, beaten, battered and bruised, limped from the smoke-covered battlefield with an unconscious Sasuke.Sakura ran forward to greet them, but the first word to escape her lips was a tearful, 'Sasuke…'

Naruto's heart sank. His dream world had shattered, and though he had prepared himself since the first meeting after he trained for three years, it still hurt, and hurt deeply. He knew that despite all that had happened, he still held onto some hope within the deepest part of his soul that she still would choose him. That was obviously not the case anymore.

So now, that's where he was and why he was there. The blond-haired ninja, still a Genin, yet the main candidate to become the next Hokage, sat and silently watched as dusk come. He hoped that this time would be the last, yet knew, in the same place where he had held onto hope that Sakura would've chosen him over Sasuke, that he would be here tomorrow, as well as the next day, and every day ever after wondering and wishing for what could have been.

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Sakura sighed heavily. Her latest date had, once again, been a failure, as had been just about every date with every boy in Konoha. The pink-haired girl certainly had a run of bad luck with boyfriends, well, other than her first, anyways. She always unintentionally compared every guy to her first real boyfriend.

'Why can't I get that blonde-haired idiot out of my head?' she whined to herself, walking home from her latest debacle. 'He's ruining my chance with any other boys! Why is he still on my mind!?' She knew the answer, but she didn't want to admit it, because that would mean she would have to run back to him. And that was something she never wanted to do.

She remembered the day that Naruto and Sasuke fought, this time with Naruto in the victory, and that she had run to greet them. But she unconsciously said a word that still haunts her in her dreams to this day.

'Sasuke…'

She saw Naruto's face fall at the moment she said it, but he recomposed himself almost as quickly. All she could think about was the knocked out ninja over her boyfriend's shoulder. In short, she ignored her boyfriend.

She was foolish and she knew it. Naruto informed her the next day that he was going on his own to train again, this time he wouldn't know when he'd be back. She felt heartbroken, but knew why he was leaving, and figured it was for the best.She should have explained herself, that she was just worried about Sasuke because he was unresponsive. But what good would that have done? Naruto was not one to change his mind and anyway, he probably wouldn't have believed her.

She and Sasuke started dating after the boy healed and Naruto left. Sakura was able to make Sasuke warm up a bit, and even got him to laugh once or twice, even if it was sniggering from her occasional clumsiness and stupidity. She noted how well they meshed together and she lived with him for over a year. For all intents and purposes, they seemed perfect for each other.

But he was not Naruto.

Every time the two became intimate at night, Naruto was on her mind. Whenever they went out, Naruto was on her mind. Whenever she slept, the look that Naruto had for a split second after the battle will Sasuke haunted her. Whenever she saw her mistress, Tsunade, she asked if they had heard from Naruto recently. Sasuke was not stupid, and soon noticed that Sakura did not think of himself when they were together. He quietly broke the two up, though they still cared deeply for each other. She was free and could've returned to Naruto, who had returned shortly before the two broke up.

However, she felt guilty for leaving Naruto, thus deciding that: 1.) he wouldn't want her back, and 2.) even if he did, she didn't deserve him. So, she drowned herself by trying to be with other guys. Some were great and others horrid. Some were proper and others slobs. Some she actually thought she had a chance with and others weren't even allowed a second chance. They all had one thing in common, though. They weren't Konoha's self-proclaimed, number one, hyperactive, knuckleheaded ninja.

She once again sighed. 'Maybe I should just give up…' she muttered sadly. She then noticed an orange jacket pass in front of her. She lifted her head up and noticed the boy's head drooped sadly and his hands stuffed into his pockets.

'Naruto…?' she wondered. The boy hadn't even looked or acknowledged her. She would've been hurt, except for that he didn't seem to acknowledge anyone who glanced and nodded graciously in his direction. He seemed like he was lost, in spirit. He wasn't living, just existing. It worried her. 'I hope he doesn't do anything drastic…' she mused, following him.

She followed the boy as he trudged up to the top of the Hokage monument. She held her breath for a moment, thinking that he might actually jump, when he just plopped onto his back and stared out over the horizon. She watched the boy intently, before watching the beautiful sunset. The silhouettes of the buildings were outlined with a golden hue. The hills tickled the bottom of the sun, as the heat produced mirage-like waves from the reflection of the scenery. 'So romantic…' she thought. Her instincts…her heart…told her she was supposed to be there, but her brain told her there's no way he could want her. So she stayed laying on her stomach, peering forward.

She then heard something that that made her gasp. She thought she imagined it, but could swear that he softly, hoarsely whispered, "Sakura-chan…" A tear the slid off his cheek confirmed her theory. She then saw, or rather heard, a side of Naruto that she had never heard before. He began to sing.

Girl, when I look at you

You look through me, like I'm not even there

I try not to give up, to be strong but,

I'm afraid to say I'm scared

I can't find the place your heart is hidin'

And I'm no quitter, but I'm tired of fightin'

Baby I love you,

Don't wanna lose you

Don't make me let you go

Took such a long time

For me to find you

Don't make me let you go

Baby, I'm beggin please,

and I'm down here on my knees

I don't wanna have to set you free

Don't make me

Sakura covered her mouth to desperately keep the sobs from being heard. He was actually singing? About her? He still loved her, even after she left him and didn't return even after she broke up with Sasuke? Just as these and many other questions ran through her mind, Naruto began singing another verse.

What if when I'm long gone

It dawns on you

You just might want me back

Let me make my self clear

If I leave here

It's done, I'm gone, that's that

You carry my love around,

Like it's a heavy burden

I'm about to take it back

Are you sure its worth it?

Baby I love you,

Don't wanna lose you

Don't make me let you go

Took such a long time

For me to find you

Don't make me let you go

Baby, I'm beggin please,

and I'm down here on my knees

I don't wanna have to set you free

Don't make me

He couldn't finish the song, as something soft and gentle had covered his mouth. He figured it was a dream, when something dripped on his closed eyes. He opened them to see Sakura tearfully laying on top of him, smothering his face. She slowly backed away from him, though her tears still flowed freely. "Please…please don't leave me…" Sakura sobbed.

Naruto stared at her in shock. She still loved him? After leaving him, he was the one in her heart? He tried to say something inspiring, but all he could do was lift his hand and wipe her eyes. "Please…stop crying…Sakura-chan," he grimaced.

The pink-haired female sobbed again, this time in happiness that she was given another chance. She released her hold of the ground and dropped down to him again, pressing her lips onto his. He kissed back as the two slowly became more intimate as dusk settled in the background.

Baby I'm begging please

And I'm down here on my knees

I don't want to have to set you free

Don't make me

Baby I love you

Don't want to lose you

Don't make me let you go

Don't make me

Stop loving you

Stop needing you

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I'm beginning to wonder why I ever started writing Romance One-shots. Oh well…spent so much time on this one I couldn't do the other one I wanted for GX, but that allows me to plan more for it, so I guess it'll be good. I gotta get goin on that main one, too. Meh. Read and Review, please. I know it's prolly a little (ok, prolly a lot) out of character, so flames are welcome, also.