WARNING: TISSUE ALERT FROM HERE!!!


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-8- Forever's Not Enough -8-

CHAPTER 8

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Sakura stumbled back to her dormitory to find Emily waiting for her.

"You let him go?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. She rounded on Sakura. "Why did you let him go?" she raised a fist and punched Sakura across the face. Sakura didn't move. She stood numbly still. Emily screamed and out of the dormitory, sobbing and screaming. Sakura fell onto her bed.

For the next three weeks Sakura coughed blood often, and it was harder to hide her lukemia. She often tired and skipped half her classes. Once she even almost fainted in class. Sasuke phoned every week, cheerfully saying that he was doing well. Sakura cried every time he phoned, but hid it from him. She couldn't bear to end his happiness.

Emily wandered into the hospital for her annual health exam. She had just seen Dr. Slath, her private physician, and was informed that she was still healthy as ever. She was just walking past the cancer hallway when she heard Sakura's voice.

"Dr. Brown, I have been coughing blood often. Does this mean anything?" Sakura was asking. Emily froze, and hid behind the door to listen.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. Your lukemia is getting worse. I'm afraid you will not live for another two months." Dr. Brown said. Emily gasped silently.

So that was why Sakura was looking so pale lately, she thought. Tears of regret welled up in her eyes. How horrible, Sakura had lukemia, and she was dying! But she's so young, only not even seventeen! Emily thought tearfully. Bearing all that pain and torture, she still let Sasuke go. She still only thought for Sasuke and not herself. She truly loved Sasuke. I could never do what she did, Emily thought. I don't deserve Sasuke. And now she was dying, and Sasuke is not even by her side.

"I understand." Sakura said. "Thank you, Dr. Brown."

She was about to leave when Dr. Brown stopped her.

"Is Mr. Uchiha not here?" he asked.

"He went to France."

"But why did you let him go when you needed him most?" the doctor asked.

"It's what he wanted." Sakura answered. "I know I can't be with him forever anymore. I don't want him to know and freak. I want everything to stay normal. He's happy right now, and I don't want to ruin it. I want him to be forever happy, even after I die. To marry Emily and have children. A boy who is just as handsome as him and a girl who is just as pretty Emily—"

Emily bolted out of the hallway, unable to bear it anymore. She slid down the wall and sobbed out loud. How could she have been so horrible to Sakura? She put her head on her knees and wept unashamedly. Her eyes caught on a pay phone in front of her. She sat up and picked it up, shoving some coins into it. Sasuke had to come back, he has to come back and be with Sakura. They belonged together. She held the phone close to her ears and dialled Sasuke's number. It rang three times before he picked it up.


Sasuke picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Sasuke, this is Emily." Came the hoarse and somehow sad voice of Emily.

"Oh, Emily."

"You have to come back to London as soon as possible." She said.

Sasuke was a little annoyed at Emily's stubbornness. "Listen, Emily. I can't just leave right now. Listen, I can't come back, for the last time—"

"It's about Sakura." Emily interrupted. She began to cry. "You have to come back to her right now. She—she—"

"What's wrong with Sakura? Emily, what's wrong with her?" Sasuke demanded, beginning to panic.

"She's ill with leukaemia. The doctor says she can't live more than two months!" Emily's voice sobbed into the receiver. Sasuke hung up. He felt his heart stop. Sakura was sick and she was dying. How could he have left her? At the airport, her look was pleading him to stay with her and yet he still left, still let her down, disappoint her, like he did so many times before.

Sasuke went into his black car and raced towards the airport to catch the earliest possible flight back to London.

Sakura walked down the hallway of the school. She was going to die soon and never would she be able to see Sasuke ever again. He left, he had left her. She was afraid he would leave her just like Akio did, but she was going to leave him soon instead. She was going to make Sasuke endure all the pain she had gone through. Sakura didn't want to die she wanted to be with Sasuke forever.

Suddenly immense pain shot through her body. Her veins, bones and muscles felt as if they were on fire. She felt her vision blind her again and this time her head spun. She knew she was going to die. Die right in the middle of the hallway. Die in front of all her schoolmates. Die without a last look at Sasuke. Her legs finally gave away beneath her. Her books fell with a loud thud onto the marble floor and she fell with her books. Everyone in the hallway turned to look at her. The moment she hit the floor Sakura's eyes closed and she lay still.

Sasuke ran all the way out of the airport. He waved frantically for a cab and climbed in. They drove halfway when the cab broke down so Sasuke ran the rest of the way.

His hair flew out behind him and he felt sweat of panic trickle down his forehead. Sakura was waiting for him in the hospital she was still alive and waiting for him. He had to see her. He could see her pale face wincing in pain and she was crying and gasping suffering immensely.

Sasuke quickened his pace.

Emily was waiting outside the hospital. Tears stained her white face and her expression was blank.

"Emily, where's Sakura?" he asked grabbing her shoulders. Emily didn't reply for a minute just sobbed silently.

"Sasuke, she's in the emergency room right now. Dr. Brown said she got worse. She fainted in the hallway. He reckons she could not live over three weeks." Emily said numbly, before breaking down completely. Sasuke stumbled back, stunned. He felt his ears pounding, and before he knew it he bolted toward the emergency room.

"Sakura!" he shouted, frantically trying to burst in. Aaron Spiel and another doctor held him back. Sasuke fought desperately, yelling Sakura's name, but couldn't free himself.

"Sasuke, calm down!" Mr. Spiel ordered, gripping his son's shoulders and shook it hard.

"How can I calm down?" Sasuke yelled. "Sakura's laying in the emergency room, dying! How can you expect me to calm down?"

"You're not helping Sakura being this way! Calm down!"

Sasuke looked at his father wearily.

"Father, I just want Sakura back! I just want her back—" Aaron Spiel clasped a hand on Sasuke's back.


"Haruno Sakura, you are the meanest person in the entire universe," Sasuke replied, his voice quiet and soothing. "We said we would be together, we promised each other we would never part. How could you be so cruel to me? How could you do this to me?" He hit her playfully and gently though there was nothing to play about. He felt the prickly feeling at his eyes, but still didn't let it fall.

"How could you make me worry about you like this? In France, I think about you every day, and now you hurt me like this. Haruno Sakura, you're inhuman and horrible. How could you make me go through all the pain you went through for Akio?" Sasuke paused to swallow the prickly feeling. The ward was silent, and Sakura still remained motionless. Sasuke was unable to say anything bad anymore. He put his head face-down by Sakura's cold hand. "Sakura, I love you. And for our love, please wake up!" he wanted to cry, but somehow he just couldn't, maybe he just couldn't, or perhaps he just thought it wasn't the right time. "I've changed everything for you already, please wake up for me."

Moments ticked by, then a soft murmur arose from the girl.

"Sasuke…Sasuke…" Sakura was calling his name softly, her voice in a hoarse whisper. Sasuke raised his head in disbelief. Sakura was slowly stirring. She closed her hand gently around Sasuke's. "Take me to the beach, Sasuke." Her voice was hardly above a whisper, and her lips were colourless.

"Alright." Sasuke said soothingly. He very gently picked up the fragile girl.

Sasuke carried Sakura along the beach her face against his. Their foreheads touched fondly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke asked, watching her pink hair blow around her.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Sakura whispered. Her voice was tired and soft, and she felt tears slid silently down her cheeks. "I don't want to die, Sasuke."

Sasuke lay Sakura down carefully and sat down next to her on a large rock. Her skirt fluttered around her feet and the sun blinded her slightly on the windy December day.

"I don't either, Sakura." Sasuke said, wiping her tears away.

"Sasuke, I know I won't be able to live long," Sakura said quietly. "Let our hearts connect forever. No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you. No matter what happens, our hearts will always be together, ok?"

Sasuke looked at her fondly, his dark blue hair whipping out behind him. He nodded and placed his hands behind him on the cold rock.

"Look at the ocean, it's violent today." He said.

"Yes, I love the ocean. It's sometimes calm, but other times so violent and unsure, just like our love." She turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, my heart will never leave you." She closed her eyes, and so did he. They both leaned forward in unison, and kissed very gently. Sasuke placed his hand on Sakura's cold face and put his fingers through her layer of soft pink hair like a comb. They kissed in front of the roaring ocean under the pale sunset.

"Sasuke, can you sing me a lullaby?" Sakura said quietly. They were back at school in Sasuke's dormitory. Sakura was laying Sasuke's arms, because she didn't want to go back to the hospital.

Sasuke had been with her every second. Aaron Spiel had called Mrs. Haruno. Even though Sakura objected to it, Mr. Spiel insisted that her mother be with her.

"I don't know any lullabies, Sakura, but I have a poem. It's called 'Together'. Here is how it goes:

I'll hold your hand and help you stand,
when you need me.
I'll truly love you and be your eyes,
When you are blind.
I'll help you find your way and be your compass,
When you are lost.
I'll keep you warm and be your blanket,
When you are cold.
But I believe when we're together,
We can accomplish whatever.
We will hold hands,
Side-by-side,
With nothing to worry,
And nothing to hide.
We can be together,
Just me and you forever."

"That is a beautiful poem, Sasuke." Sakura murmured sleepily, her eyelids felt heavy. She put her head onto his shoulder and murmured." Can you do all that for me?"

Sasuke kissed her on the cheek. "Of course I can. I would do anything for you. Remember, our hearts are connected." He hugged her tightly.

"I'll remember…" Sakura's voice trailed off and she fell into a deep slumber.

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"Sakura!" Mrs. Haruno burst through the door and ran up to her daughter, a duffel bag clinging limply out of her hand. She studied her daughter. Sakura looked so pale, so weak and fragile. She stroked her daughter's face and hugged her tightly.

"Hi, Mother." Sakura said. Mrs. Haruno began to sob. "Mother, what's wrong?"

"Oh, my dear, what happened?" Mrs. Haruno said. Sakura felt pain shoot through her body and her body felt cold.

"It's alright, Mother." Sakura managed to choke out. Her muscles were weakening again.

"Sakura, look at you. You've grown so much skinnier!" her mother put her arms around Sakura, but turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, dear. Thank you for taking care of my little girl." She said, tears in her eyes. Sasuke nodded.

"Sakura, you should go back to the hospital. You will take the operation." Mrs. Haruno insisted.

Sasuke and Mrs. Haruno escorted her to the hospital, where they filled in papers for the operation.


"Mrs. Haruno, go and rest for a while. I'll take care of Sakura." Sasuke offered. The lady smiled wanly.

"Alright, I'll go wait outside while you two chat." She said, patting his shoulder.

Sasuke sat down next to Sakura, and she grabbed his hand.

"Sasuke, I'm scared. I don't want to have surgery." She said, her eyes frightened. Sasuke took her in his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be right next to you, Sakura. Don't worry." He said gently.

"I'm afraid of dying." Sakura confessed. "Everyone thinks I'm so noble and brave. But nobody understands how scared I am inside. I don't want to die." She began to tremble slightly. Sasuke hugged her tighter.

"Everything will be OK." He soothed.

He hugged her for a long time, until she spoke. "Sasuke, go. Go get some rest." She said.

Sasuke smiled and nodded. Sakura noticed dark shadows under his dark grey eyes and he did not harden his dark blue hair with gel today. Sakura watched him leave, and her heart began to hammer with fear. She was so scared, she was so afraid of death. She sat up and put her head against her knees, crying into the dark. She felt so lonely, so lost…

The door to the ward opened and Emily stepped in. She was crying as well.

"You called Sasuke, Emily. Thank you." Sakura said through her sobs.

Emily nodded and hesitantly hugged Sakura. "I'm so sorry!" she whispered.

Sakura hugged her back. "Emily, I'm so scared. I don't want to have operation. I don't want to!"

Emily held Sakura's head gently. "Sakura, be brave, not for me. Not for Sasuke, but for yourself." She encouraged. Both girls wept out their long time sorrow. For how long, neither knew, but it made them both feel better.


"Sasuke, Kimiko, Emily, Sakura's conditions has worsened." Dr. Brown said. "There is no hope, and she can't have the operation anymore. We have arranged for your last visits. "He walked away to his office. Mrs. Haruno fell back onto the bench tears flooding down her cheeks. Emily gasped and Sasuke shook his head before turning on his heels and racing out of the hospital. He ran with all his might until he stumbled and couldn't run anymore. He put his hands on the fountain in front of him and stared at his reflection. They were so close to extending Sakura's life span. Now she was going to die. He could not keep his promise and be with her forever. Sasuke threw back his head and shouted into the December night sky.


Mrs. Haruno and Emily sat by Sakura's bedside. The air was filled with misery, and even the weather was mourning. The wind howled and it began to rain, the tears of god.

"Sakura, please wake up," Mrs. Haruno sobbed. "Mother is sorry, I owe you so much. I wasn't able to protect you, just like I couldn't protect Akio and you father. Why am I so useless…"

"Mrs. Haruno, I beg you to stop being this way." Emily said. "Sakura doesn't need us to sob over her right now. She needs encouragement."

"You're right, Emily." Mrs. Haruno said. She turned back to Sakura. "Sakura, look at all who love you so much. Look around. Open your eyes, sit up, and look around. We all love you so much, please wake up!"

But despite all their talk, Sakura remained motionless and lifeless.


It was seven o'clock in the morning in the ward. Nobody except the patient was in the ward. The clock struck seven and the patient's fingers moved very slightly. Her eyelids twitched and fluttered open, like a butterfly spreading its wings. Sakura sat up very slowly. The last time she was conscious she coughed blood and couldn't breathe. But now her breath was back. She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was glad of the eerie silence and peacefulness. The hallways were empty and Sakura went down to the beach. She bent down before the rock she had sat with Sasuke on and took out a piece of chalk. Very slowly, because her hand shook from weakness, Sakura wrote the words: Sakura and Sasuke Forever. Then she sat down on the rock to gaze at the churning ocean.


"Dr. Brown, where is Sakura?" Sasuke demanded. The doctor turned, startled.

"She's not in the ward?"

"No, I went to the ward, but it was empty." Sasuke replied, beginning to panic. He turned to go search for Sakura, but Dr. Brown grabbed his arm.

"She truly loves you." The doctor said. "You never knew how much. That time you got shot, it was she who gave you part of her liver. She did it even though she knew that if she did so, her life span will shorten. She saved you, not me. Go find her."

Sasuke swung free of the doctor, shocked. So it was Sakura who had saved him. If I weren't for Sakura, he would be dead. If it weren't for him, Sakura would be able to live longer today. It was his fault. Sasuke bolted out the hospital gates toward the beach, where he assumed she was. And he was right. Far away on a rock, a figure in blue was seated. He ran up to her and froze three feet away from her. She turned and gazed back at him. They stared at each other for a moment, then Sasuke, for the first time in his life, started to cry. He ran up and hugged Sakura to him. He kissed her cheek and her forehead, the tears he had been holding back his whole life spilled.

"Sakura why did you have to save me?" Sasuke cried, tears streaming down his pale face. "I'm so sorry!"

Sakura lay in his embrace. "Don't be, Sasuke. If I hadn't saved you, my happiness wouldn't have lasted." She said, silent tears pouring down her face. He hugged her like he could never let go, as she lay on his lap. Sakura felt suddenly immense pain penetrate her body and she flinched. Her energy was all drained out and her lips were colourless and dry.

"I love you, Sasuke." She whispered.

"I love you, Sakura." Sasuke said. He could feel her energy drain and he knew she was dying. More tears leaked out of his eyes.

"Remember the time when we first met? You were really mean to me." Sakura said.

Sasuke nodded. "And the time when you kissed me on accident."

"When our eyes first met."

"When we first broke up."

"When we first kissed." Sakura's voice got softer as she spoke. Sasuke held her tighter.

"Sasuke, remember the poem I read to you?"

"I remember every word."

"Can you read it with me?" Sakura asked. Sasuke nodded, tears flooding his eyes again. Sakura smiled and began to clap as she chanted. Sasuke joined in:
Love is a legend, love is a story.
Love is a feeling, an experience, and a memory.
It's something I can't see,
It's something just for two.
Yet I feel so special,
When I'm with you.
Through storm and fire,
I feel the strong desire.
Down cliffs and rivers,
So we can be together,
Up mountains and hills,
Just me and you forever."

They stopped together. Sakura's arms felt heavy, and she managed a soft laugh as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Sasuke, now let's read your poem:
I'll hold your hand and help you stand,
when you need me.
I'll truly love you and be your eyes,
When you are blind.
I'll help you find your way and be your compass,
When you are lost.
I'll keep you warm and be your blanket,
When you are cold."
Yuri's voice trailed off. And she struggled to finish the poem.
"But I believe when we're together,
We can accomplish whatever.
We will hold hands…
Side-by-side…
With… nothing… to… worry…"

Sakura stopped clapping and chanting. Her hands fell onto her lap and her head rolled to the side and against Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke felt tears penetrate his eyes but he did not stop. He continued chanting and clapping and finished the poem.

And nothing to hide.
"We can be together,
Just me and you forever."

Sasuke looked down at Sakura, but she had died. He felt pain strike the middle of his heart and cupped her head in his hands. "Sakura, I'll be your compass and blanket! I'll be your anything! Sakura, please don't go! Sakura!!!" he held her head and shouted. More tears streaming down his cheeks. A huge wave crashed against the rock and the letters: Sakura and Sasuke Forever was washed away by that wave, along with Sakura's life.

Haruno Sakura died on December 14th, exactly two years after her brother's death.


Sasuke stood by the ocean. It was three months after Sakura's death. He glared at the ocean, tears now falling unashamedly down his cheeks. He had promised Sakura they would be together forever, and he had decided that if she couldn't stay with him, he would go to her. He took a step into the cold ocean…and another…and another…

If i would have to live my life again
I'd stay in love with you the way I've been
Your love is something no one ever can replace
I can't imagine life with someone else
I promise, I will share my life with you
Forever may not be enough it's true
My heart is filled with so much love
I feel for you
No words can say how much I love you so

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Epilogue:
Three years later Emily Radley and her husband Sasuke Uchiha watched their infant son crawl in his play pen. Sasuke was saved by Emily, but he had lost his memory when he tried to drown.
Emily gazed at her happy family. She was filled with joy at what was given to her today, and she would never forget Haruno Sakura, the girl who gave her all she had today. Far away, they heard an orchestra playing the song of love. Haruno Sakura, you will always be Sasuke's girl… Sasuke's memory… Sasuke's love…his princess…his angel…and Sasuke's universe…

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~FIN~


A/N: argghh...I just finished it and I am really crying a lot... ~sniff~ ~sniff~ I hate it but I still treasure this story ~sniff~ ~sniff~and the poems...~sniff~ I made it just for this story.

THANK YOU for adding this story to your favorite lists and story alert lists. THANK YOU SO MUCH junkness!!! you were there since the very beginning. SALAMATz!

by the way,,, just to let you know.. I got the title from the song Forever's not enough by Sarah Geronimo. The lyrics are italicized right before the epilogue. n_n.,