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Chapter 10 Waking Up

The first thing Sakura heard when she awoke the next day was a ringing in her ears. A splitting headache ensued feeling as though her head would soon explode. She groaned as she glanced at the clock; 12:32 PM. She hadn't meant to sleep as long as she had. She had wanted to get down to the rehab clinic and work on her leg.

The next thing she realized was that she wasn't in her room. Further inspection told her she was in the bathroom, leaning against the wall and, after looking to her right, Sasuke. Sakura's eyes widened when she saw he wasn't wearing a shirt and his bare chest was exposed. She tilted her head; he had a very sexy chest. She shook her head to clear those kind of thoughts from her head.

Looking at herself, she saw she was in an oversized T-shirt- Sasuke's- with no pants on underneath. She raised her eyebrows. Why couldn't she remember anything after she had been sent to bed by Kankuro and Sasuke? God, she hoped she hadn't done anything stupid.

Sasuke's eyelids opened then and found Sakura looking wildly around, trying to put two and two together, but in this case, the answer wasn't four. Sasuke reached out and touched her shoulder, startling her. "It's not what you think," Sasuke told her.

"And what is it that I'm thinking?" Sakura asked, nerves and anxiety taking over.

"You're thinking we slept together. And, while the thought has passed through, I wouldn't ever do it in a bathroom. What happened was you got sick through the night, and Kankuro and I were taking turns holding your hair back. I was just the lucky one to wake up with you- and I do know how that sounds," Sasuke answered.

Sakura frowned, closing her eyes. This couldn't be happening. The story made sense, except for the part about the clothes.

When she voiced her concern, he answered patiently, "You were washing your face in the shower- with your clothes on. You drenched yourself, so I gave you mine. Don't worry, you changed all on your own. You insisted on wearing my shirt- don't ask me why. You kept saying something about playing strip poker." He seemed to be relishing this moment too much.

Sakura pushed to her feet holding her head. "Well, thanks, but I'm fine now. You can go back up to your room." Sakura walked out of the bathroom and headed down the hall. She saw that everyone was still here, sprawled out on the living room floor. She saw Kankuro sleeping against the wall with some girl, who looked pretty, propped up against his chest, opposite the bathroom. Who was the girl?

Sakura smiled at his and Sasuke's concern for her. Sasuke. Sakura wanted to groan. Why was it when she wanted to be the angriest at him, he had to go and show off his good side? Not that she believed he was all dark and evil. He had seen bits and pieces throughout her duration in the house, it was just that he had always been so mean to her. How could he expect her to just change her feelings?

And, how could he think she had only dated Naruto to get him jealous? Sakura wasn't like that. She could never use a person like that. But, as hard as it was to admit, she liked the fact that Sasuke had noticed that she had moved on. He had gotten jealous, whether he wanted to admit it or not. She knew.

She slipped into her room, where she found Naruto and Hinata snuggled against each other, clothes on-thank God, leaning against the wall against Naruto's bed. They really were a good couple. They would be the golden couple of Konoha High, Sakura bet. Smiling, she grabbed some clothes and slipped them on before either of them woke up.

Why couldn't Sasuke just be angry at her for all she had said throughout the night? God knew she deserved it. It would make things so much easier. She could deal with anger and rage, but she could not deal with someone who could be so nice to someone who didn't deserve it.

Naruto was the same. It was funny how alike the two could be when they pretended not to like each other. Sakura smiled at the thought. She really hoped that she could be friends with Naruto, and that he wouldn't hold a grudge- not that she thought he was that kind of person. He had every right to be upset with her, but knowing him, he'd be over it when he awoke. Besides, he got Hinata through the incident. The silver lining to it all. That thought made Sakura happy- to know something good had come out of the whole thing.

Swaggering into the kitchen, Sakura saw Kankuro sitting at the table. "Hey," he smiled when she entered the room.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Sakura asked as she opened the fridge and grabbed the carton of orange juice and took a swig straight from the carton.

"Oh, I some girl just gave me her number, and I think I'm going to give her a call later. We had a great time at the party last night," Kankuro couldn't stop smiling.

Sakura smile; she was happy for him. "But, I bet that had to be hard talking to him when you were taking such good care of me last night."

"Nah, Sasuke handled most of it. I started out, but he insisted on letting me get back to Samantha- that's her name. So, I let him. I hope you don't mind," Kankuro looked up at me worriedly.

Sakura shook her head. "No, I don't mind at all." She sat next to him and placed her hand on top of his and squeezed it affectionately. "I hope you know how much I appreciate all that you have done for me. I don't expect you to have to hold my hand my high school career. I want you to do whatever makes you happy. If that means leaving me to be with some girl, I'm okay with that."

Kankuro smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot to me. But, I hope you know that your happiness makes me happy. You're my best friend. I want to help you and have a hot girlfriend. Who says I can't have both?"

Sakura laughed.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Kankuro asked.

Sakura let out a breath and thought. "I don't know. I haven't really decided. I need to get to the rehab clinic and work on strengthening my leg, but I'm not feeling motivated today. Maybe I'll just take a walk." Sakura stood. "Go call Samantha."

Kankuro smiled before bolting from the table. Granted she had just left, but maybe he could talk her into going out for breakfast before she got home. The only reason he hadn't offered before she had left was because he had wanted to be there for Sakura.

.~.

Sasuke strode into the kitchen and saw Kankuro bolt passed him with a silly grin on his face. Sasuke shook his head and smacked into Sakura, who wasn't paying any attention to where she was going. He reached out to steady her, but she pulled away. She wanted to be as far away from him as she could to clear her head and get things sorted out. She didn't want him to get any ideas.

Sasuke dropped his hands and strolled over to the cabinet and took out a pop tart. When he turned back around, Sakura was gone. Sasuke hung his head. What would it take to get through to her that he wanted to make things right between them? Who would she listen to? Kankuro.

He walked out the door, pulling his jacket tight around himself. Freshly fallen snow covered the ground, and he had to be careful not to slip on the ice. He headed to the Kankuro's dorm and knocked. Kankuro opened the door looking like he was getting ready to leave.

"Bad time?" Sasuke asked.

"Not if you can make it quick. I'm heading over to the ramen shop. Walk with me," Kankuro grabbed his jacket and locked the door behind him.

Once they were back on the sidewalk, Kankuro waited for Sasuke to talk. Kankuro figured it was about Sakura. "Look," Sasuke began. "I know I royally screwed up with Sakura, but I want to make things right. Is there anything you can say to get her to give me a chance?"

Kankuro didn't say anything for a moment, he just walked with his head down thinking about how to go say what he wanted to. "Sakura's very independent. I don't know if anything I can say would change her mind."

"She listens to you," Sasuke insisted.

Kankuro closed his eyes and sighed. "Would you do anything to get her to talk to you?"

Sasuke shook his head no; Kankuro frowned. Sasuke recovered, "I'd do everything to get her to at least give me a chance."

Kankuro nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Meanwhile, just do little things to make her happy. Maybe she'll come around on her own. But, I'll talk to her, see if I can get her to see."

"Why are you doing this for me?" Sasuke asked.

"It's what you want isn't it?"

"More than anything, but I didn't think you liked me either."

Kankuro shrugged. "I'll be honest. I hated your guts so badly that I wanted to rip your intestines out with my bare hands. I hated how you treated her."

"I was being stupid. I was just following the crowd. You know what it's like. Everyone thinks you should act this way, and you have to to be popular. I thought I was cool, and so did everyone else."

"Everyone except the people that matters. It takes more courage to stand up against the crowd and less worry, anxiety, and guilt to do something that your heart tells you is right."

With that, Kankuro disappeared inside the ramen shop, leaving Sasuke to really think about what he was doing with his life, and where he wanted to go. All he knew for sure was that wherever the path of life took him, he wanted Sakura there with him.

.~.

Sakura sat on the bench in the gardens, the very spot where Sasuke had made her feel the worst. When he had rejected her so cruelly, Sakura had never before felt this kind of sadness well up inside of her. It was almost more than she had been able to bear, but with her friends Kankuro and Naruto, she had made it.

A rustling behind her made Sakura jump. Ino walked down the path and stood in front of her. "Hey, I thought I'd try this whole friend thing. You look like you could use a girlfriend," she said.

Sakura smiled half heartedly. "I'm just dealing with some issues right now, and I'm not sure how to go about it."

"Issues named Sasuke Uchiha?" Ino guessed. When she saw the surprised look on Sakura's face, she continued. "Please, even a blind man could see the tension between you two."

"It's that obvious?" Sakura grimaced. She didn't want people to start thinking there was something going on between them, cause there wasn't.

"I can just see things like that. Besides, when you gave your little toast last night, it kind of clinched things," Ino shrugged.

"I was toasted. I didn't mean a word I said. I can't believe I did that. I probably made enemies out of Temari and Shikamaru for life! I'm surprised Kankuro didn't snap at me. I don't deserve him as a friend," Sakura cried.

"Oh, quit the little pity party. No sense in dwelling on the past. You can't change it, no matter how much you might want to. Look to your future. And, don't worry about Naruto. Granted, it happened really fast, but he knew it wouldn't last. He and Hinata are perfect for each other," Ino replied.

"Ya, they are. Wait, are you trying to imply that I should date Sasuke?" Sakura frowned. Wasn't ex-boyfriends off limits to friends? Granted Ino and Sakura hadn't been friends when the two of them had dated, but still.

Ino shrugged. "What we had was lust not love. Sasuke has never before taken care of a person so affectionately. After all my drinking, I wake up cold and alone in the bathroom. He's either fallen for you, or he's already in too deep. And, from the way you're stressing, I'd say your in farther than you'll admit. He's changed, and that all happened after that night of the dance."

Sakura smiled slightly. "Thanks Ino, you've got this friend thing down. You're blunt enough to get through to me. I like it."

"Good." Ino nodded. "Now, why don't we go back home and watch a movie or something? It's too cold to stay outside."

.~.

He was whipped. There was just no getting around it. He was whipped bad. Sakura had changed him more than he dared or cared to admit. Here he was, apologizing through texts to all the geeks he had been mean to. Maybe this would give him points to Sakura. Plus, it made him feel better, but he'd never admit that aloud.

School started the following Monday, and Sasuke was going to have to take his game up a notch. But, what could he do to really impress Sakura? What was something that would dazzle her? He was coming up blank. He had all weekend to think of something, but he knew it had to be big!

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