"I will bring Sasuke back, it's the promise of a lifetime!" I repeated those words over and over in my head like the jutsu styles I had so long ago memorized. But it still wasn't an answer to my question,
Why?
Why do I still love him?
Tsunade ushered me into her office with an almost maternal care, but the tears that cascaded over my eyes blocking out the world still continued to flow.
Why?
I had promised myself to be strong, to never give in again, so why couldn't I stop him?
In that state of confusion he had simply told me, "Thank you," I thought no one could understand the loss that lay heavy on my heart and yet now I realized Naruto had felt it everyday.
The confusion I felt caused more tears to fall heavily on to my lap, a jounin said something to me but my heart had now locked out all sound besides that single word.
Why?
With sudden noise I quickly stood up from the chair near Tsunade's desk where she had placed me. And with a short shaky bow ran out of her office and into the streets with no idea where my feet would take me.
"Wait!"
"Leave her,"
Tsunade said calmly to her jounin assistant before leaning back in her chair.
"But Hokage-sama…"
"It's fine, leave her."
She announced with more force this time, the jounin bowed and exited the office.
Tsunade turned to her window as she watched the pink haired kunoichi flee to the border of Konoha,
---
I slowly lowered myself onto the ground beneath the branches of a large oak tree, it's leaves casting shadows over my weak features.
Why?
I put a hand to my chest as if to pull out a shard of glass,
"Damnit!"
Tears once again blinded my sight as I slowly wondered what I could have done differently.
"Have I helped them at all?"
I thought aloud,
Those times I quietly sat near them, the days we spent training, the things we had found and lost on missions.
Had I really done nothing?
I remembered the silent vow I had given myself as my blood stained hitai-ate hit the soft forest floor.
As the slow breeze shifted through my newly cut hair, to help them no matter what, too never run away.
Was I still running?
As I looked up into the sky that lay above the tree's I felt more alone then ever.
"Hey billboard brow what are you doing?"
I looked up into the smiling face of Ino as she sat down beside me.
"Nothing,"
I murmured truthfully my eyes focused on the ground,
Ino smirked as she leaned back against the tree.
"Just like old times,"
"What is?"
I asked her, but she just shook her head.
"So what are you pouting about?"
I frowned with annoyance at her use of words but decided to answer.
"I just regret not being able to do anything for Sasuke-kun and Naruto."
"Not this again,"
Ino teased, I just glared at her.
"Well it's the truth, even now I'm powerless."
"Moron you've helped them,"
I turned to her with anger,
"You don't understand!"
"Of course I do! Who do you think is on the mission with Naruto, Chouji and Shikamaru!"
She yelled back her eyes upon mine.
"You act as if you're the only one who has ever felt this way before, well for your information you're wrong!"
I nodded; it seemed like I was still thinking selfishly.
"I still wish I could do more though,"
"You have,"
"Don't lie,"
I answered she just sighed.
"I'm not, all the times you've told Sasuke-kun you love him, all the times you scolded Naruto, just spending time with those two has saved them I'm sure of it."
Ino smiled sadly, as she thought of her two teammates.
"But what the use is it explaining it to you? You're good at studying but you're pretty stupid elsewhere!"
"Hey!"
Ino just laughed.
I looked over to her but she was already looking away.
Could she truly be right?
"Thank you,"
Suddenly his words made sense to me, suddenly I understood, just why I loved him so much.
Him and Naruto,
"Thanks Ino-pig-chan, you say some pretty useful things sometimes."
I said smiling before running off, this time with picture in mind to where I headed.
---
I observed the still pool of water that lay before me as I slowly stirred it with my finger. When I was a child I used to come her to avoid the bullies.
"I think I understand, a little more about how you feel now."
I said as I watched the moister that dropped from my fingertip slowly evaporate.
"You've been wanting what I have, we all were just needing love. Someone to comfort us and wipe our tears away, someone to protect us from the scalding heat and searing rain."
I collected as much water as I could into my two hands and splashed it over my face as if to cleanse something.
"So I promise you, I will be the person to give you those things."
A single petal floated in the middle of the pool, I slowly rose it from the water and put it in the palm of my hand.
"But in order to mend your hearts, I first have to heal my own."
I put the petal up to my face and slowly made a fist.
"So I'll pray, for you both. And for the future."
I let it flow freely in the wind and in a second it had left my sight.
Please Naruto, Sasuke, let my prayer reach you.
---
The blonde stopped in his tracks as a single white blossom of spring flew past him,
"What's the matter Naruto?"
Kiba asked impatiently but Naruto just smiled.
Sakura-chan…Meanwhile inside the dark vessel the sound had placed him in Sasuke wondered why this strange petal haunted his mind.