Yes! I've posted a new chapter BEFORE receiving complains about me taking too much time to update. That's progress don't you think?

Chapter 10

If there was one thing Hatake Kakashi loved, it was reading his favourite book, Icha Icha Paradise. If there was one thing he hated however, it was reading while somebody else was depressed and gloomy around him. It destroyed the atmosphere.

For the third time, he looked up from his interesting reading to see his team-mate, Uchiha Sasuke using his favourite jutsu to light up a campfire. The scent of the forest filled the air. The animals of the woods were sleeping and Kakashi and Sasuke stood in a pure silence interrupted only from time to time by the soft cracking of the firewood. Kakashi looked at the sky and, seeing the numerous stars above thanked Kami it wasn't raining. For the pair of jounnin had been lucky. It was very fortunate in an ANBU mission, to find a decent place to sleep and a nice weather to bear with.

Again, Kakashi looked at his friend. Knowing the Uchiha for six years had taught him a lot about his cold personality. Now, he was staring into the flames lost in his thoughts. His gaze then went to the ground, off to the distance before he went back to stare at the fire. That, in the Uchiha body language meant he was very troubled by something. Kakashi guessed it was probably about Sakura and thought nothing of it. Therefore, he restarted the reading of his novel. When he saw Sasuke run his hand through his raven hair however, which, to the Uchiha corresponded to a sigh, Kakashi closed his perverted volume. Something was definitely wrong.

"Aren't you agitated tonight." He stated.

To this Sasuke answered nothing. He didn't feel like talking. It was too tiring. The copy-ninja went on.

"Something troubling you?"

Again, only silence met Kakashi's words.

"I'm guessing it's about Sakura…"
"Why did you ask me to train her?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

Kakashi sighed. 'I knew I'd hit the spot' he thought. Of course it just had to come to this. But it was the only way he had found to help Sasuke and Sakura. He had to admit it was also to have a little fun in seeing Sasuke act around a girl. Of course, he hadn't imagined the two would fall in love. Well, yes he did imagine it but he didn't think it would actually happen.

"And why did I even accept to train her…" Sasuke said more to himself than to the silver-haired man.

"It's so…complicated."

"Why?" Kakashi asked, "Because you love her?"

To this, Sasuke rose from the log he was sitting on, took a few steps away from his team-mate and stared at the stars above. Sasuke hated when Kakashi was right. It annoyed him more than anything. It was as if his only eye was enough to see right through him. He then placed his hand behind his neck and took a deep breath. Kakashi almost smirked under his mask.

"Ah, little Sasuke's in love..." He said with a light tone.

The young Uchiha turned around to meet the masked man's eye. His hand fell from his neck to his side. He's glare was intense. And at that moment, Kakashi knew that if Sasuke's eyes were kunais, he be dead. And that was an understatement.

"How can I even look at her and be at peace when I know I'm the reason of her suffering?" Sasuke would never forget he was to blame for her parents' death. He had made her an orphan.

Kakashi took his book back and opened it.

"That's exactly why I made you train her, Sasuke."

"To torture me?" It was the only plausible answer the Uchiha had found. He just couldn't see why else. That Kakashi was simply pure evil. But then again, why did he say yes? At first, he tried to forget it and acted as if everything was normal. As if she was anybody. But since the day they had first kissed…no, since their first training together, Sasuke had felt something was wrong. And he had asked himself why he had accepted countless times.

"To help you. You've made her stronger, Sasuke. And by doing so, you repented yourself"

"I don't think I'll ever fully forgive myself, Kakashi." Sasuke answered. It was true. One day or another, Sakura would learn the truth. And when that day came, she would hate him. She would hate him and he didn't want to face that. He smirked at the irony. He could put his life in great peril in every mission yet he was afraid of telling the truth for fear of losing her. What a coward.

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi said, as if reading his thoughts, "She'll understand, she's mature now. She's grown. You've helped her grow."

"Grow…" Sasuke repeated slowly. "She's grown. Grown to look just like her…like her…"

"Like her mother?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke slowly nodded.

"They have the same eyes."

Flashback

The rain fell harshly on Sasuke's head, making his raven hair stick to his face. The sixteen year old Uchiha was paralyzed. Not by the cold wind penetrating his bones. Not by the many wounds covering his body. It was his fear that paralyzed him.

His team-mates, Kakashi and Mr and Mrs Haruno, three respected jounnin, were severely wounded. Their blood soiled the forest grounds. Sasuke was left alone to face the enemy. At the moment, only one thought crossed his mind: 'I don't want to die!!'

Before him stood his brother; The genius of the Uchiha clan, the same who had exterminate said clan leaving Sasuke as the only survivor, Uchiha Itachi. The oldest sharingan user took a good look at his brother.

"Foolish Sasuke" He said simply "Did you really think you could defeat me in your current state?"

Sasuke then saw Itachi running towards him at full speed. His killing intent seemed like a dark aura around him. His blood-red eyes were fixed on Sasuke. At the last minute, Sasuke's panic and survival instinct took over his body.

"Get away from me!!" He yelled. He closed his eyes as he held a kunai in front of him in a defensive manner. A warm liquid fell on his hands. When he opened his eyes, the young man almost threw up. Mrs Haruno was implanted in his kunai. Her blood covered his hands. The young Uchiha started shaking

'A…a genjutsu?' he thought.

Water was falling down his cheeks but he was too shocked to know if it was from the rain or from his own tears.

"Sasuke-san…" She spoke. He looked at her; her green eyes filled with tears, kindness and compassion…Blood dripped from her lips. She died.

Sasuke felt the need to puke.

End of Flashback

"Same eyes." Sasuke repeated as he sat back on the log next to Kakashi. That painful memory still haunted him at night. He blamed himself for the deaths of the Haruno, yet couldn't help but love their daughter. Sasuke ran his hand through his hair.

Naruto sighed and placed his chopsticks down on the counter by his hot bowl of ramen.

Sakura looked at him with a questioning look.

"What's wrong Naruto?" She asked him "I treat you to ramen and you only eat four bowls?"

To answer, Naruto only made a mumbling sound in which Sakura only deciphered two words: "not hungry"

One didn't have to live with the blond loud-mouth for too long to understand the true meaning of those words. Something was definitely wrong with Naruto. Before Sakura could ask however, he mentioned the thought that was troubling him. He turned to face her and Sakura saw the depths of his concern and worry in his intense cerulean eyes.

"Sakura-chan…you…you love him don't you?" he asked.

Sakura bit her bottom lip and looked down at the fuming bowl of chicken flavoured ramen set in front of her. She knew that her relation with Sasuke would cause awkward situations like that one. She was responsible enough to face them and she wouldn't lie to Naruto anyways.

"Yes." She answered in one breath.

The self-proclaimed Hokage turned back on his stool to face the ramen left on the counter before him. He gave a little frown and a small pout. His face expressed a mix of confusion, concentration, and questioning; sign that he was a deep thought.

Sakura was scared he was mad at her. She was already sad because of losing Ino, she didn't want to lose her other best friend.

"Naruto…" she started

"I love you, Sakura-chan" he interrupted, still looking at his ramen, "You're my team-mate, my best friend, my sister. And I'm going to protect you." He then looked right into her emerald orbs.

"And if that Uchiha-teme makes you cry…I swear on my Hokage title that I'll kick his sorry ass"

He didn't yell the last sentence like Sakura was expecting him to. But she could still feel how deep and how true this affirmation was. Seeing his blue eyes filled with such passion, with the determination to protect her, Sakura felt the need to cry. And before Naruto could see the silent tears falling from her eyes, she threw herself at him in a fierce hug.

"I'm…" She sobbed, her face buried in his chest, "I'm so sorry I made you worry…" Naruto patted her back tenderly.

"You're such a great friend…"

"Hai…" He answered as he gently pushed her away his hand placed on her shoulders "I am"

Sakura let out a soft giggle and wiped her tears away. Before either of them could say another word, Shizune appeared before them in a cloud of smoke.

"Sakura-san," she said facing the pink-haired girl, "Tsunade-sama wants a word with you"

Sakura nodded, stood up and, after giving one last smile to Naruto, disappeared with Shizune to find the fifth Hokage.

Naruto turned back to face the counter a sad smile spread across his face.

"I did it Ayame" he said. "You owe me one whole week of free ramen."

"You cheated, Naruto-kun" The young girl said as she slowly walked up to him from behind the counter.

"When I said to tell Sakura you loved her, I meant for you to tell her your true feelings about her. Now she probably thinks you love her as a friend!"

"Didn't you ear her? She loves someone else. Besides, I still won the bet" he said with a small smile.

Ayame sighed before returning back to the kitchen. He had done it. He had told Sakura he loved her yet never would she know how deep his love really was.

"You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama?" Sakura asked entering the Fifth's office.

"Sit down, Sakura" Tsunade answered in a cold voice.

The young kunoichi, a little surprised by her sensei's icy tone, did as she was told and took place in a chair that was nearby. She was in trouble, she could feel it.

Tsunade sighed before starting to talk.

"I've heard you've been training with Uchiha Sasuke."
"Hai, I have."

"I've heard you two were close. Too close."

Sakura felt her heart hurt. She knew where this was going. She wondered, however, how Tsunade knew about it. Did Kakashi-sensei…?

"How close have got to him, Sakura?"

"Tsunade-sama, if you know it, come to the point already.

"You love him?" The Hokage asked her eyes looking directly in Sakura's eyes. For the second time, she had to answer this question. Yet somehow, she had the feeling Tsunade's reaction wouldn't be as nice as Naruto's. Why Tsunade was suddenly so hostile towards Sasuke, she didn't know but Sakura was ready to defend the one she loved.

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, I believe my personal life is none of your business."

Tsunade didn't seem to like Sakura's response.

"Since you became my student, I've treated you like my own child" she said "And that feeling grew since the death of you parents, Sakura."

This shut Sakura up. That was true, Tsunade had always act like a mother, always being there training her skills, forming her character. Sakura sighed

"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama. Yes, I love him"

"Do you know how dangerous that man is, Sakura?"

"I trust him."

"You shouldn't."

That statement made Sakura doubt of Sasuke. Yet her confidence grew back when she remembered Sasuke's eyes when he looked at her.

"He would never hurt me."

"He already did"

"We shouldn't be together…you should…you're supposed to hate me."

Sakura eyes widened enough for Tsunade to take notice of it. The blond woman took out a mission report from one of the drawer and placed it on the top of her desk. She then pushed it toward Sakura.

"What is that?" The young girl asked.

"Read it."

Sakura glanced at the report before her. Something told her she didn't really want to know what its content was.

"What if I don't want…"

"Read it" Tsunade repeated, not allowing another answer.

Sakura frowned and, with rage in her heart, took the report before walking out of Tsunade's office in fury.

On the road the led back to Konoha, Sasuke was walking next to Kakashi in silence. The perverted ninja wasn't even reading his dirty little book. Instead, he looked at Sasuke.

"So Sakura doesn't know about…you know… how her parents died?"
"You mean how I killed them?"

Kakashi didn't answer. Sasuke and he continued walking.

"No, she doesn't…yet…"

"You planning on telling her?

"You mean planning on killing myself?"

"Sasuke…"

The young Uchiha almost smirked. Almost. He was too preoccupied to actually smirk.
"Yeah, I'll tell her."

"When?"
"Today, when I see her."

The two jounnins stopped in front of the huge Konoha gates. Kakashi turned to face his teammate.

"You should hurry up and tell her before someone else does." He said.

Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows and looked at Kakashi. If this happened…he didn't even want to think about it.

"Who?"

"I thought I told you before that Tsunade-sama didn't really like the thought of you two training together. And she has the mission report of that day. Everything about how Sakura's parents died is written there."

Sasuke's heart started to beat a little faster.

"And…you think the hold hag would show Sakura…"

He didn't even end his sentence before he saw Kakashi give a slow nod.

"Shit!" he cursed.

"Yes, indeed" Kakashi said. "Well, anyways, there's somewhere I'm supposed to be now. See ya" And the copy-ninja was gone leaving Sasuke in front of the gates.

Flashback

Sasuke was now crying openly. Small sobs escaping his lips. Sadness covered his heart as he shed more tears. Rage blinded his view as he cursed his weakness. Desperate, he fell on his knees before Mr and Mrs Haruno's lifeless bodies unable to stop his crying.

"This is pitiful." Sasuke heard his brother say. "Sasuke, you're an Uchiha. Can't you even decipher a little genjutsu when it hits you?"

Sasuke didn't answer. 'I take back what I thought earlier' he thought 'I want to die. Please let my brother kill me right now!'

"I least you defended yourself against them" His brother went on.

'Shut up and do it, Itachi' Sasuke thought.

"But was it really worth killing your own teammates?" The older Uchiha asked.

'Just shut up and kill me you bastard!!' Sasuke thought as his eyes turned red. With the little strength he had left. He concentrated all his chakra in his right hand and charged at Itachi. The murderer took Sasuke's wrist. But not fast enough. His left sleeve was ripped and a small cut appeared on his arm. He looked at Sasuke and almost felt like smiling.

"The mangekyou sharingan" he said as he looked in his brother's eyes. He had no more will to live.

"I could kill you right now, Sasuke." Itachi said. "But I won't. Because that's exactly what you want me to do, don't you?"

Sasuke looked at his brother and with the very last of his strength managed to talk.

"I…hate you"

"Not enough" Itachi said as broke Sasuke's writs. The young man give a loud yell full of pain before being thrown to the ground by Itachi. Sasuke did everything in his power so he would not fall unconscious. He saw Kakahis sensei battle his brother. He saw more ANBU come. He saw how Itachi retreated and disappeared before the reinforcement.

Kakashi went to his side followed by and ANBU.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We were assigned to capture the missing-nin, Uchiha Itachi. The mission went wrong. Two of our teammates died" Kakashi answered as he took Sasuker in his arms.

"Who killed them?" The ANBU asked.

"It was Uchiha…"

"Sasuke" Sasuke interrupted, "Uchiha Sasuke. I killed them."

Kakashi looked down at the boy in his arms. What the hell was he doing?!

Sasuke looked back at him. "I killed them" He said again before he fell unconscious.

End of Flashback

Sakura was still furious. Why was it so complicated for her to be with the one she loved? How come it had to be so…so … so damn troublesome!! She infuriatingly made her way through Konoha's busy streets. Not caring who she was pushing, if she was pushing anyone. That is, until she came in contact with another girl about her age. The two of them fell backward and hit there bottom. Sakura got up first.

"Watch were you're going would you?!" she snapped. The girl slowly got up and pushed back her blond hair. Before she could say something, Sakura had recognized her.

"I…Ino?" She said in one breath.

The young kunoichi averted her gaze to the ground.

"Ino…" Sakura repeated. "I'm sorry. I just came from Tsunade-sama's office and she made me so mad I… I'm sorry I made you fall.

Ino didn't answer. She was now staring at what was in Sakura's hand. Seeing this, Sakura answered her silent question.

"This is…Tsunade-sama gave this to me. She told me to read it. I'm guessing it's to discourage me from seeing Sasuke again. So I'll probably not read it…"
Sakura saw Ino bitting her bottom lip and fidgeting with her hand the way Hinata would when in front of Naruto.

"Ino," Sakura said "I don't understand. I thought you wanted me to be with Sasuke…"

"Please read it, Sakura" Ino said before walking away. But Sakura grabbed her wrist. "You know what's in there?" She asked.

Ino didn't want to face Sakura's stare and again, looked at the ground.

"I thought it would be nice for you to find a boyfriend, Sakura. But then…you started trainnin more and more... Ten-Ten, Hinata and I have been seeing you less and less. Naruto even told me how pitiful you looked when you went at the hospital to see Sasuke." She took a deep breath before continuing, "And… when I saw you the other day waiting for him…You looked so… changed and sad…I …I"

"You went to Tsunade-sama and told her everything." Sakura finished for her. Ino looked at her best friend and saw the blank stare she was giving her

"I was worried about you, Sakura! I couldn't let Sasuke hurt you like that!"

"You went to Tsunade-sama and told her everything." Sakura repeated.

"I…" Ino didn't know what else to say.

"You went to Tsunade-sama and told her everything!!" Sakura yelled that time. " Why didn't you talk to me about it!? Naruto did! And so did Kakashi-sensei! They respected my choice!!" Tears started running down her cheeks as some people stopped walking to look at her.

"Why is everybody against me!? Why does everybody think he's so evil!? CAN'T YOU ALL JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!?" She yelled before running away leaving Ino on the spot.

Sakura cried as she ran back to her house. She threw herself on her bed and sobbed until sleep came and took her. Two hours later, she woke up but didn't open her eyes. One question was still echoing in her mind

Why did everybody think he was so evil?

There had to be a reason for all those suspicions.

"He would never hurt me."

"He already did"

Tsunade knew about it.

"I highly recommend you not to get too close to Sasuke, Sakura."

So did Kakashi-sensei.

"Please read it, Sakura"

And Ino…

"We shouldn't be together…you should…you're supposed to hate me."

Sasuke himself had warned her!

Her eyes snapped open when she realized that.

And the truth was written down in this document Tsunade gave her.

Sakura gave a doubtful look at the yellowish paper before taking it. Her hands shaking a little, she opened the mission report.

Well well well...lot of emotions in this chapter ne? Hope you guys liked it. And if you did, please leave a little review!