Thank You

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor the song "Thank You".


The fights, those nights

I tried to pretend it don't hurt

The way, I prayed

Someday that you would love me

Really, completely

Just how I wanted it to be

But no, so wrong

Can't believe I stayed with you so long

They stood, no-man's-land stretched out in front of them, daring each other to make the first move. The sun was covered up by the clouds that threatened a wild storm, and the wind picked up violently – neither moved. Red eyes flashed dangerously, whilst green stared back in defiance.

'He isn't Sasuke… not anymore…' she reminded herself, 'Orochimaru may have not succeeded in taking over but it still isn't Sasuke.'

"Che, still as annoying," came the arrogant taunt. Calmly, she smiled at him – the fake smile that had tricked Sai only two years before.

"I'm not the same girl, not anymore Sasuke," she replied, "and nor are you the same boy – you have lost every shred of your humanity and your sanity." He snorted in reply and pulled out his chokuto, ready to fight.

Sakura nodded, chakra radiating from her gloved fists. Silence radiated over the field of battle – both standing in wait once again. At the first crack of thunder, they rushed at each other – chakra radiating through steel blade and human flesh.

My head, near dead

Just the way you want it

My soul, stone cold

Cos I was under you're control

So young, so dumb

Knew just how to make me succum

But I understand

To make yourself feel like a man

"You're useless…"

"You're annoying…"

"You're worse than Naruto…"

"Sakura… Thank you…"

Anger radiated through her body, willing herself to keep attacking despite the heavy damage she had received – although she had given as good as she had received. They were bleeding, bruised and breathing heavily from the effort.

Once again they faced each other, rain pelting down and washing their wounds of blood and dirt.

"I have underestimated you…" he said, "I should have realized when I was told that you were the strongest kunoichi of Konoha…"

"As usual, you didn't believe that someone as weak as me could develop in such a weak village…" she retorted in calm anger, her voice like the venom that his snakes had injected into her blood stream.

"I'm not going back…"

"I wasn't going to… my mission is to kill you,"

"You? Kill me? I doubt it,"

"Naruto sure doesn't like the idea… but the time has come – we know that both Orochimaru and Itachi are dead, and we know there is no hope of you returning to re-establish the Uchiha clan so as you are now a threat, I must kill you," Sakura explained defiantly.

It wasn't entirely the truth – there was never such a mission for her to take, yet it was something she had to do if she was ever to move on completely. She hoped that he wouldn't see through her bluff, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he already had.

"Have you killed?" he asked, re-sheathing his chokuto and stretching his limbs despite the wounds that reopened as he moved.

"I have."

"Could you kill me? I know you can't bring yourself to let me go, even after all these years."

"Like the Sandaime couldn't bring himself to kill his favourite student, like Jiraiya and Tsunade could only try and deter him…" she mused.

You could've had it all babe

It could've been so right (so right)

I would've given you everything (everything)

Morning through night

Yeah, you taught me some lessons (lessons)

Those are my blessings (blessings)

That wont happen again (again)

Thank you

"I won't make the same mistake," she said, chakra filling her hands once again.

They fought once again, this time fiercer than ever. Sakura wanted to prove her strength, and Sasuke just wanted to be left alone. They struck together, and Sasuke was the first to fall. Sakura knelt next to him, watching as his strength began to leave him.

"I shouldn't have been so surprised," Sasuke choked, "so annoying… you have become what I couldn't…"

"Thank you, Sasuke."

For every last bruise you gave me

For every time I sat in tears

For the million ways you hurt me

I just wanna tell you this

You broke my world, made me strong

Thank you

Messed up my dreams, made me strong

Thank you


"Thank You" by Jamelia (Thank You)

Author's note: Again, something different to what I would usually write (me being a sasusaku fan and all…). I have the belief that Sakura needs to be given more credit than she is in fandom – she has undergone one of the biggest character developments of the series and she has become less annoying as she was in the first series of 'Naruto'.

Ok… she might not be strong enough to defeat Sasuke in canon but in fanfiction anything is possible – plus it kinda shows up Sasuke's belief that he wouldn't have grown stronger if he stayed (probably one of the biggest flaws in his character, being too consumed in his revenge to think rationally - that's my thought anyway...)