Title: Without Hesitation

Summary: Sakura learned from her mistakes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Prompt: Lessons Learned
Rating: T
Warning(s): Violence, blood, manga 635 spoiler. Set during and after the war.
Comments: Thank you for the warm reviews and please enjoy the second chapter!


This time Sakura was prepared. Her hands steady, her kunai sharpened, her resolve – steeled.

When Sai had asked her how she felt about Sasuke joining the Alliance, she hadn't lied about trusting him. She knew he changed. No more did he project the dark, choking aura filled with murderous intent. If she had to compare him to something, she'd say he was like a katana – sharp, deadly, precise. However, a katana can as easily cut a friend as a foe.

That is why Sakura watched his every move carefully, knowing what exactly he was capable of to accomplish his goals. She trusted him, but not blindly. She couldn't let her feelings get in the way, because the stakes were much higher than just Team Seven's lives.

It had to be her, no one else. It was her responsibility. She owed that to both Naruto and Kakashi.

The Ten-Tails roared in agony, as it was hit with Naruto's Bijuudama, the drilling sound enough to render the combatants temporarily deaf. Sasuke's exhausted form straightened up and she saw him forming a long sequence of handseals.

Sakura acted without thinking.

Faster than she's ever been in her entire life, she flashstepped to the spot right behind him. Sasuke looked over his shoulder, his black eyes widening in alarm.

This time he couldn't have avoided it, even if his hands weren't busy.

This time she didn't hesitate as she drove her kunai into his back.

The bloody stain blossomed on the back of his shirt, staining also her hands as she cradled his lifeless body in her arms, not letting him fall to the ground.

Another roar shook the battlefield, signalizing the defeat of the Ten-Tails. The cheering erupted all around and Sakura smiled softly as she lowered herself on her knees, still holding Sasuke. Her hand lightly caressed his inky locks.

"S-sakura-chan?" Naruto appeared at her side, exalted at the victory, but froze at the sight in front of him.

She raised her gaze at him calmly. "I had to stop him."

"B-but... we won! Why... why did you do it? Sasuke was with us! He was finally back! He didn't have to be stopped! Sakura-chan!" Naruto started brokenly, but with every word more and more anger seeped into his voice, till he was shouting at her furiously.

Silently, she bore his wrath. Only when he paused for a breath, she spoke up.

"I did it because we were winning, Naruto."

"What!" Naruto was about to yell at her again, but a hand fell on his shoulder, diverting his attention to the new arrival.

"Naruto, calm down," Kakashi said, managing to sound as casual as if he didn't just come back from the death match with his old, treacherous comrade.

"Sakura killed Sasuke! How can I calm down?!"

"Concentrate. Sasuke's not dead," Kakashi informed him midly.

Taken aback, Naruto stilled and focused on feeling the chakra in Sasuke. It was so faint he could barely sense it.

"He's alive..." he whispered in wonder. "He's alive!"

Sakura nodded smiling.

Now nothing would mar their celebration of the end of the Fourth Shinobi War.


Sasuke woke up to the white.

At first he thought he was dead, but the dulled pain in his body told him otherwise. His muddled mind struggled to recall what had happened. All he remembered was the pink.

Sakura...

"Sasuke-kun! You're awake!" she exclaimed, appearing in his field of vision and he realized he'd said her name out loud.

Her cool hand laid gently on his forehead and the medical chakra spread through his body, soothing the pain he was in and making him relax, subconsciously leaning into her touch.

"There, all better," she said, taking away her hand. "You're recovering very well, for someone who had five broken ribs, multiple lacerations and suffered a severe case of chakra exhaustion."

Sasuke looked at her impassively, indicating that he didn't really care what injuries he'd sustained. "What did you do, Sakura?" The memories were slowly coming back to him. He'd planned to use Kirin and put an end to the Ten-Tails once and for all, but then... what?

His eyes narrowed in frustration as he regarded her. Sakura tensed and averted her eyes at his scrutiny. She licked her lips and he momentarily focused on them.

"Your reserves of chakra were very low. If you used that jutsu, you would have died..." she trailed off.

"You stabbed me," he stated, finally putting it together.

The silence descended on them as she looked away. Suddenly, she turned to him again, her eyes alit in determination.

"Yes, I stabbed you. With kunai coated in a sedative. And I'm damn proud of it, because it saved your life!" she raised her voice, but didn't shout. Their eyes met and he saw the fear and worry she couldn't quite hide – not from him.

"I'll tell Naruto and Kakashi they can visit you," she abruptly changed the topic.

Sasuke's gaze followed her as she headed for the exit.

"Sakura."

His voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Thank you."

He didn't see her smile or the small tear she quickly wiped. She could never kill him, but if it only took stabbing him in the back to have Sasuke alive in Konoha again, she'd gladly do it as many times as needed. That was the lesson she had learned after their encounter in Iron Country.

"You're welcome, Sasuke-kun."

Just being able to say that was the best reward for all her hardships and heartache.