Ok I didn't take a shower. I just watched Family Guy.

9:30 pm

Sakura and Ino sat with each other on the couch sitting right next to each other watching TV. Sakura wasn't even paying attention to the screen; she just sat there with her friend thinking about what happened. She told Ino everything. She swore her to secrecy about what Sasuke was doing just in case the wrong ears heard it. She could trust her best friend. She rested her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"Sakura, I know the two of you are going through a rough patch. It's gonna be okay," Ino assured her.

The pink didn't say anything; instead, she let a few tears fall out.

"Sakura, it's only been a couple of hours. These things, they just take time," Ino reassured her.

"Oh Ino I think I should call him," Sakura confessed.

"No no no, that's not a good idea. You'll give him all the power," she informed her friend.

"Ok you're right," *deep breath*, "I'm just gonna go to sleep."

Sakura was about to go to the guest room when Ino's home phone rang.

"Who could that be?" the pink-haired ninja asked.

"I don't know; nobody ever calls this late."

"Do you think it's him?"

Ino just put a finger to her lips telling Sakura to be quiet.

Ino answered, "Hello?"

"Uh, hi. It's Sasuke. Is Sakura there?"

"Yeah but she just went to sleep," Ino lied.

Sakura mouthed the question "What?" without making a sound.

Ino put the finger back to her lips. Sakura leaned in to listen.

Sasuke went on: "Oh…um," talking still wasn't his strong suit except when with Sakura, "how is she?"

"Well she's pretty sad," Ino informed.

Sasuke replied: "Oh…could you tell her I called?"

"Sure."

There was an awkward moment of silence before Sasuke hung up.

Sakura went to sleep uncertain about the future.

-2 Days Later-

7:43 pm

Sakura was walking home from the hospital. She hasn't talked to Sasuke in days. It was getting colder as she approached the crossroads where she would usually turn left to go to her home with her boyfriend. As she inevitably got to where she would turn right she saw none other than Sasuke sitting on a bench.

"Sasuke?"

He jumped up. His natural looks never made him look bad, but his eyes were darker, there were bags under his eyes and his hair wasn't as puffy. It was clear he wasn't sleeping well.

"Sakura! I, ah, I wanted to talk with you," he explained.

"Sure Sasuke-kun, what's up?" she nervously asked.

"Can we go back to our place? I made dinner," he coaxed tiredly.

"Yeah. Yeah I'd like that," Sakura tenderly replied. It was hard for her to stay too mad at him and he was trying….hopefully.

They walked together for a few tense, silence minutes until they got to their apartment. Sakura entered behind her boyfriend to see two plates of food set at their table. They sat down but only she started eating.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence, "I don't want to break up."

"Me neither! I, I'm sorry I was so angry the ah…*sigh* the last time we talked."

"It's my fault. The way I told you what I was doing was wrong. Maybe I was too sneaky."

"Well, it was more than how you said it, right?"

"What, ah, what are saying?"

"You said your revenge was more important than me!"

"Years ago you said you'd wait for me."

"And I meant that! I just—I just thought that time of your life was over," the pink said with melancholy.

"I love you, but, I also need to finish what I started," Sasuke retorted.

"I love you too. There's nothing I love more than you and I just wish you felt the same," she replied.

"Don't make me choose. I can make time for you and revenge!" he snapped in a last-ditch effort to have the best of both worlds. Two years ago he would have picked revenge over her in a heartbeat but now he's gotten a taste of a "normal" life and as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want to lose it.

"Sasuke I think I should just go. Thanks for the food," she said as she stood up and turned around.

"Wait!" he yelled as he also bolted up.

She turned around with tears building in her eyes. She didn't say anything either because she was too sad to think of anything or maybe she didn't want to make things worse.

"Sakura don't go, not—not like this," he began, "take this."

He stepped forward and pulled an envelope from his pocket. He extended his hand to her and offered her the letter. He looked exhausted.

"What is this?" she asked as she took the plain white envelope. She flipped it over and grabbed the lip and was about to open it when Sasuke interjected:

"Don't open it," he asked her. She looked at him quizzically so he explained: "I told you I was close. I've bribed and threated and stolen from a lot of people but I finally found out who gave the order. And, the identity of whoever helped. I haven't seen who they are yet."

"Why, uh, why are you giving this to me?"

"I didn't want to choose, but if I have to, I choose you."

He looked relieved. It was like the mental stress has taken a physical toll on him and now he's been relieved on both fronts.

"Sasuke-kun!" she yelped in delight as she ran forward and hugged him, "I love you."

She kissed him on the cheek and he hugged her tight.

Sasuke panted out, "I love you, I love you…" he trailed off as he fell asleep. He's been too stressed out with this decision that he hasn't gotten a good night's rest in a while.

5:27 am

Sasuke woke up in his own bed next to his girlfriend. She was still asleep, but she was smiling and hugging him still. He never felt so much happiness knowing she was also just as happy. He dropped his head back to his pillow, hugged her back, and knew he made the right choice.

The End