Chapter 2: New feelings

AN: Since you all know about the Massacre I will not write it. However I will write what he feels about everything afterward.

Chapter 2: Pushing Away

Sasuke woke up in the hospital very shaken up. He couldn't believe what his brother had done. How could he? After he went into the compound and found that what he hoped was a nightmare was real, he was taken to the Hokage. He was given his own apartment away from his old home.

After this, he swore to kill Itachi. He wanted to avenge the clan. But what would he do after that? How would that make him feel any better? He was seven years old, but he was a very mature Uchiha. He thought things out better now. When he returned to school, many of the kids wouldn't speak to him. It was as if they were afraid to talk to him.

He had forgotten about Sakura. How could he? He was probably the only guy his age who liked someone. However after what happened, how could he be with her? What if Itachi came back and killed her? He killed everyone else he loved why not her? He had to push her away. He couldn't have any friends. He didn't want to risk killing them just to gain the Mangekyo. He couldn't have anything further than a friend especially from the opposite gender, because Itachi would kill them.

Four years later, Sasuke was finally graduated out of the academy. He was the top of their class in everything. Now nothing could stop him from killing his brother... except a certain blonde-haired knucklehead.

He was pissed when he found that he was in Naruto Uzumaki's group. Especially since he had his eyes on his Sakura. During the past four years he had found it very hard to stop thinking about Sakura. She and Itachi were the only things ever on his mind. He liked that Sakura liked him, but couldn't give in because of the fact he never wanted his brother to know.

However he was annoyed that Sakura and Ino had become bitter rivals over him. Ino was too pushy. Sakura never practically forced him to hug her. She also never hung onto him like Ino did at times.

After Naruto had tied him up to try and woo Sakura, he left furious and tried to find him. He passed sakura on the way. She talked to him, but he ignored her and wanted to find Naruto. However she started talking about how Naruto doesn't know any better because he's alone. Sasuke forgot any feelings he had for her at that moment.

"Alone, Isolated... It's not about your parents scolding you. You have no idea what its like to be alone."

"Why... why are you saying this?" She asked him.

"Because... you annoying." He said. He walked away, and then confronted Naruto. He was even more annoyed at the fact that Naruto tried to attack with the same technique, and then went to the bathroom... He's such a dobe.

Later on after lunch they waited a long time for their sensei. Sakura seemed guilty about what she had said. Sasuke felt bad too. How could he not still love her? However he would not ever dare to say it because Naruto was there besides the obvious reason.

Kakashi-sensei finally showed up and they introduced themselves. First Naruto went on and said his hobbies, likes, and dislikes were ramen and that he wants to be Hokage. Then Sakura went and revealed... giggling. Sasuke knew what her likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dream for the future was, but it was annoying. He hoped that she would mature soon.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things. And I don't particularly like anything." He said. Sasuke said this, because it was true. He loved Sakura, not just liked. "What I have is not a dream. I want to restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone." He finished. He realized that after he realized he loved her, he wanted to restore his clan with her. That is what he will do once his clan was avenged.

The next day they passed the test that was to let them stay as Gennin. However he wasn't too thrilled that he had to do teamwork with them. Over the next months, Sasuke began to actually warm up to Naruto. He even saved his life. Before the Chunin Exams started, Sakura tried to spend time with him to gain teamwork. He wanted to say that he did, but he couldn't.

"Instead of flirting, why don't you go practice your ninjitzu? Lets face it, you're your worse than Naruto." He said harshly. He didn't mean to sound so harsh toward her, but he wanted her to do great. He needed someone great to carry on the Uchiha genes. If she didn't get any stronger he would be looking for someone else to help restore the clan. However during the second Chunin Exam, a man named Orocimaru won a fight against him, and bit him on the neck causing him to have a strange curse mark on his neck. He felt as if venom was searing through his body. He didn't know what to do. He saw that Sakura was right next to him, so he finally fell into her lap to try and feel better.

After he woke up, he saw that his Sakura was beat up. When he asked who did it to her, she noticed that he was covered in this mark. He realized he felt more powerful. He repeated the question, but the guy who did it said it was he. Sasuke was pissed. He fought this guy, and broke both of his arms. He was about to attack the guy's partner, when Sakura came up from behind him.

"Please stop..." she said crying. Sasuke then realized that what he just did wasn't him. All he wanted to do was protect Sakura. Why did he go that far? Sakura held tight reminding him of who he really was. Suddenly the mark regressed, and he fell to the ground with Sakura hugging onto him still.

He told her that he didn't want Naruto to know about this. He didn't want him freaking out. He was about to also tell her how he really felt about her, but he heard Naruto wake up.

They finally got out of the forest with a few complications. They went through preliminaries, and since Sasuke had to get his curse mark sealed he couldn't watch the rest of the matches. After that, Kakashi brought him out to train for the match with Gaara. He taught him a special technique called "chidori." It took him the whole time to get it. It even caused him to be late.

After there was a disturbance, his match was cut short, and he was to follow Gaara and his brother and sister. He finally fought Gaara, but he was really strong. He decided to use Chidori for a third time, which he thought wouldn't work, but because the mark spread again it allowed it to work. However it made him hurt as well and now he was laying still on the branch.

Just in time as always, Naruto and Sakura arrived. Sakura helped Sasuke while Naruto confronted Gaara. However, Gaara's other demon-like form pushed Sakura to a tree, and said that it would slowly crush her to death. Sasuke couldn't take it! He couldn't move. He couldn't save her. Damn Orocimaru for causing him so much pain. He couldn't loose Sakura.

The entire time he couldn't think about anything other than Sakura. He couldn't lose her. He tried and tried to get up but it was as if he was paralyzed. Finally it was over, and he got up just in time to save Sakura. While Naruto was still occupied with Gaara, he tried desperately to wake Sakura up.

"Come on Sakura, don't do this to me." He said slapping her cheek. He held her close, and kissed her on the forehead. Nothing worked. "Come on, don't leave me here with Naruto. I don't have anyone else to help me restore my clan. I need you. I love you..." he said in a whisper so no one would here. Finally after almost giving up, she woke up.

"Sasuke..." she said dazed. Sasuke was so happy, but he knew that he couldn't act like it. He almost lost it when she was unconscious, but he couldn't do this now. He got her up, and they went to Naruto who was now almost passed out from fighting Gaara. They went back and found that the Third Hokage was now dead.