Disclaimer - DNON.

Fallen Feathers

.::Chapter Ten – Airplanes

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky,

are like shooting stars?

Cause I could really use a wish right now,

A wish right now.

Today was the last day I'd have. The last day I'd see Sasuke's smile or hear his laugh. And I knew that I had to make the best of it. The experiments had been crucial. I'd had to make up some pretty weird excuses to my mother on why I had cuts or bruises or why I wasn't feeling well. But that was all behind me now. Today I was going to spend my day with Sasuke.

I wondered vaguely how I was supposed to just magically forget all about him. I wondered how.

As I knocked on his door, just as he told me to do, I felt my heart quicken. I hadn't had really any alone time since the experiments, because they really took a toll on me. And I knew he was angry that I decided to do that for him. But it didn't matter. I did it anyway. For him.

He opened the door as if he was expecting me the entire time. And maybe he had been. Without allowing me to step inside, he closed the door behind him and joined me on his front step.

"You're early."

I blinked, not quite sure if I heard him right. Did he just say I was early? Why did that even matter? Today was our last day together. And he was worried about me being early.

Upon seeing my face contort into a displeased expression he hastily shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that." Then he looked back towards his house. "It's just that…never mind. Let's go." He held out his hand to me and I took it graciously.

"Where are we going?" I asked quietly, squeezing his hand lightly.

He shrugged. "Wherever we want."

We walked through the fields and past his house. "Did they tell you who your new owner is yet?" I hesitantly asked. He nodded.

"A fourteen year old girl. Supposedly."

I nodded slowly. "I see."

We walked together in silence. Because really, what was there to say at this point? There was nothing. Everything was different. He was different. I don't quite know when it began, but he started changing. And now, it was like he turned into a person I didn't even know anymore.

There was a small stream passing by, and I tugged on his hand so that we could walk up to the stream. I sat down on the grass nearby and took off my flip flops, dipping my toes in the water.

He sat down next to me wordlessly.

I placed his hand in my lap, fiddling with his fingers. I felt my eyes begin to tear up, everything finally sinking in.

"..S-Sasuke…" I whispered absently. Unwillingly a teardrop fell on his palm and he looked over at me almost sympathetically.

"Don't do this." He whispered, leaning over to brush my tears away.

I nodded dumbly. "I'm s-sorry."

He sighed heavily, as if this was all too much for him. Unexpectedly, he pulled my arm, and wrapped his arms around me. My eyes widened for a moment, my hands fisting his shirt. I buried my face against his chest.

"You don't know how much I'm going to miss you." He mumbled.

I pulled away and brushed his bangs out of his face. My hands cupped his cheek softly, my thumb stroking his skin.

"There's so much more I wanted to do with you. So much more I needed to show you."

I felt the pad of his thumb swiped underneath my eye, and I blinked, astounded that I was still crying. He was so beautiful now, the sun glistening against his skin, the wind softly tousling his hair. And I wished he was mine for the taking. I wished I could have him forever. Every bit of him.

I pulled out of the embrace before I could do something stupid. I slid my flip flops back on and stood. I Held out my arms to pull him up with me. My fingers idly brushed across his feathers.

"We should head back now." He murmured. I tiled my head.

"But I just got here."

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Karin is back at the house sleeping."

"Oh."

Oh.

And then I realized.

"You're early."

She was there. The whole time. They were back together and she probably slept over. And Sasuke didn't want her to wake up alone.

Sasuke was putting her before me. Again.

"Okay. Let's go back then." I stated before I could stop myself. And for the first time, I thought that maybe forgetting Sasuke wouldn't be so bad. Maybe I wouldn't try to remember him. What would be the point anyway? He had Karin. I'd never be able to just be with him.

Maybe it was a good thing that he'd remember me and I'd forget him. For the first time I wanted him to feel the pain I felt. I wanted him to miss me so terribly.

But I knew that I'd just fade into a memory over time.

He led me back to the house and took me inside. Karin was up. She must've known I was coming.

Sasuke turned to face me seriously. "Sakura, I want you to know that you're not just going to forget me. I have to…make you forget."

I looked at him helplessly. They just kept pouring all this information on me. Information that I didn't want to know. I shut my eyes tightly and looked down. "Just do it then."

Sasuke took a step toward me and placed his hands at either side of my head. He tilted my head upwards, and I opened my eyes to stare into his for the last time. "It'll take you a few hours to forget completely. But by tomorrow you won't remember anything."

A lone tear slipped down my cheek. How could he be so calm about this? Maybe he never loved me and it was all just a lie. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Karin sitting there just drinking coffee. So freaking casually that it pissed me off.

Sasuke's hands began to glow subtly and my head began to feel dizzy. I staggered, almost falling over, but he caught me.

"Sakura try to focus. I have to extract your memories."

I closed my eyes and tried to stand up straight. I placed my hands over his to steady myself.

I felt something tugging inside my head. There was a dull pain, like a really bad headache or something. I took a few deep breaths.

I kept repeating things over and over in my head so I wouldn't forget.

Sasuke. My Sasuke-kun. My angel. Mine.

A part of me wondered if he could read my mind right now. If he knew that I was referring to him like that.

And then his hands were gone, falling to his sides, still holding mine. I opened my eyes, my vision hazy.

"…Sasu…uke…kun…" I mumbled, confused.

He gripped my arms to steady me. "You better go home now before you forget how to do that." He warned.

I really didn't have any room to protest. I felt like I was drugged or something. But there was one thing I knew I had to do before I left.

"But…It's not fair." I mumbled.

I placed my hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly. "I'm sorry." I whispered, turning my face to Karin. She looked at me confused for a moment. I turned back to Sasuke and stood on my tippy toes, pressing a kiss to his lips.

I was really selfish.

I had already asked him for one last kiss, and here I was, stealing another from him. I could just never get enough of him.

I forced his lips open, and kissed him more deeply. And I couldn't see anything around me. Everything was spinning, and he was disappearing. Until, I couldn't feel his lips against mine anymore. Until, I was back in my room.

Alone.

I collapsed on my bed in sobs and held on to the one thing that I could.

Sasuke. My Sasuke-kun. My angel. Mine.

I repeated that over and over in my head.

Then I realized a better method. I was already beginning to forget my earlier memories of me and him.

I had to find my diary. I hastily reached over to my night table. Then, a horrified look spread across my face.

Where the hell was my diary?

I opened the drawer frantically. I searched everywhere. On my dresser, behind my bed. My vision blurred with tears. Where the hell was it?

Just like my memories, my diary was gone.

After all the partying and crashing,

all the glitz and the glam and the fashion.

and all the pandemonium and the madness,

There comes a time when you fade into the blackness.

I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. Smiling, I reached down to grab it.

"Hello?" I grinned.

"Hey. I'll be over in like two minutes. I'm almost at your house."

I giggled.

"Alright. See ya."

Click.

I finished brushing out my hair, in an oddly good mood. It was July 18th, and I've now been dating Naruto for a couple months. But it seemed like we've been together forever, since we always used to hang out anyway. In truth, not much had changed. We were still best friends, and we still just hung out a lot. The only difference was that we kissed – alright, made out a bit. But other than that, not much changed.

I heard the door bell ring and I jumped downstairs to answer it.

Naruto smiled softly, his hands in his pockets as he casually stepped inside.

"Hey, you." I greeted fondly, kissing his cheek.

He ruffled my hair, and I took his hand, leading him back up to my room. I skipped up the stairs, in an almost giddy mood.

"You're parents are out?" he questioned. I nodded.

"When aren't they? Anyway, I just got this new video game and I totally am gunna kill you in it." Naruto and I had been getting into video games lately, bringing out my inner geek.

"Aw, that's awesome Sakura-chan." He exclaimed enthusiastically. Once we were upstairs I set up my PS3 and put the game in. I explained the controls quickly; he was a fast learner.

After beating him three times in a row, I decided to take a break. By next week he'd be beating me, so I'd better take in my victory while it lasted. I tossed the controller to the side and leaned back against my bed, exhaling loudly. I stretched my arms above my head and watched as Naruto leaned over.

He didn't seem put out that he lost, which made me happy. He wasn't the sore loser type. More like the work-until-you-succeed type.

Naruto pressed his lips to mine, and I felt it again.

I didn't really know what it was, but every time he kissed me, I just felt something weird. I can't really explain it, but the whole thing seemed wrong. Like it wasn't him I should be kissing.

I've been getting that feeling for a few weeks now.

Almost like…I didn't know. But most of the time I just ignored it, because it was probably just my imagination. I mean, how couldn't I be happy? I had everything I wanted: friends, parents, good grades, and a great boyfriend. What else could be missing?

Naruto pressed himself closer to me, snapping me out of my thought process.

I wound my fingers through his hair, smiling into the kiss. It wouldn't be right for me to not enjoy kissing my boyfriend. Yet, I couldn't find it in my heart to break up with him because I was feeling something weird.

It wouldn't be fair.

Naruto pulled away and plopped down on the bed next to me.

He had been so good to me since we've been together. So good to me even before we were together. I just couldn't break his heart. I couldn't.

It simply wouldn't be fair.

My mother eyed me carefully.

"Sakura, dear, I'm…worried."

I grinned, eating my sushi. "About what, mom?"

What in the world could she possibly be worried about?

She hesitated, still looking at me cautiously. And suspiciously if you asked me. It was completely uncalled for.

"How's Sasuke?" she asked slowly.

I blinked. "Sasuke?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Who the heck is that?" I asked incredulously. Sasuke? I didn't know a Sasuke.

I looked at her confused, and was met with a tormented expression. She looked almost, pained to hear me say that. I wondered why.

"Oh dear…" she whispered.

I put my chopsticks down, enough of her acting weird. "Mom, what are you talking about?" I demanded.

She looked down. "Sasuke was someone…is someone…very close to you."

I got up, throwing out my trash. "You're crazy. I'm going."

"Sakura. Sit down. We need to talk."

I spun on my heels, heaving a big sigh and plopped in my chair dramatically, obviously displeased. "What is it mom?" I asked, crossing my arms.

She leaned towards me earnestly. "You told me yourself that this was going to happen soon. You told me what to do when it did happen. You knew you were going to forget about him."

"Forget who mom?" she was speaking rubbish, and quite frankly it was getting on my nerves.

"Sakura, listen to me! I'm serious!" her tone was harsh, yet pleading.

I'd never heard my mother use that tone on me. I became serious. "Mom…why's this so important?"

"Because. When you told me you were going to forget him…" she closed her eyes shut, as if trying to banish the image away, "…you were so distraught. I didn't know what to do. I said I'd do anything to help. Sakura you were in tears. You told me – begged me – to remind you about him when you forgot."

Seeing my mother like this was odd, so she must be telling the truth. "Why did I forget him?" I asked innocently.

She shook her head. "You didn't give me all the details. You could barely speak properly. But, I know he's very special to you. You've known him for a long time. But something made you forget him. You said that you had a diary that you kept. Of your memories with him. You told me to tell you that it would be on your night table when the time came."

I nodded slowly. "I don't remember seeing a diary…"

My mother reached across the table and touched my cheek. "Please, you have to remember him. Maybe you have pictures with him that could help…anything. Just try. I'm sure he misses you."

An idea formed in my head. "You know where he is? Just take me to his house and he can explain everything." I smiled brightly. But she was shaking her head before I could even finish.

"It's not like that Sakura. I can't. You…you're going to think I'm crazy for saying this, but Sasuke…he's from another world."

She paused to gauge my expression, which was shocked.

"You brought him here to this world when he was in trouble. I met him. He's was very polite, and it was clear that you two were inseparable."

I looked at her weirdly. "How did I 'bring him' here?"

"Please, I know it sounds weird. But you have to trust me on this, just like I trusted you when you first brought him here." She pleaded, holding my hand.

"Alright. Go on."

"I don't know how, but you were able to travel back and forth between his world and ours. Maybe once you remember him you'll be able to remember how to get to his world."

"Why's he in a different world?" I asked. I didn't even know other worlds existed, much less was able to travel to them.

"He's an angel Sakura."

I blinked twice. "A what?"

"An angel. He has wings." She shook her head and sighed. "Maybe if you find your diary everything will fall into place. I can't help you much more than I already have. So please, just try."

I nodded and stood up, still mildly baffled. All this had come on so suddenly…

"Thanks mom."

So here I stand,

and then again I say.

I'm hoping we can make some wishes outta airplanes.

Once I was in my room, I emptied out my night table, but didn't find anything. Huh, I wonder what happened to this diary.

If I started thinking about it hard enough, the name sounded vaguely familiar.

"Sasuke…" I whispered, and almost got the feeling that I'd said that name more times than I could count.

Realizing that I was getting nowhere with the diary, I took out my camera and scrolled through my old pictures.

There were pictures of Naruto and me, pictures of Ino…

I stopped at one particular picture.

Who was that?

I was sitting in the grass with a boy, who looked about my age, and his arms were wrapped around me. We looked friendly enough. Both of us were smiling brightly. I couldn't have been more than four years younger than I was now.

He had dark hair and dark eyes to match, but his skin was porcelain pale.

To put it mildly, he was gorgeous.

Who was he? Was this…Sasuke?

Without wasting time I jumped downstairs, showing my mother the picture. She smiled brightly.

"Yes! That's him! Check your phone too, maybe there's more pictures."

I smiled a little, happy with my accomplishment as I went back up to my room. This was Sasuke? This was the person I was so close with? I blushed softly.

I scrolled through my pictures, finding more. In one, I saw a glimpse of his wings. They were gorgeous…he almost seemed surreal.

I looked at my phone, scrolling through more pictures.

My eyes stopped on one.

We both were looking directly at the camera, and he had his arm around me again. He was holding the phone, and it was almost as though his eyes were looking directly at me, through the picture. Begging me to remember.

I closed my eyes tightly.

Sasuke…Sasuke-kun…an angel…Sasuke.

I repeated over and over in my head.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." I whispered curiously, leaning over. At eight years old, I had no idea what a guy's private area looked like. And I wanted to know.

Sasuke blushed. "You think that's a good idea?"

I waved my hand, dismissing his qualms. "People do it all the time. Besides, aren't you curious Sasuke-kun?"

He looked at me and then nodded, "Yeah."

"Okay then. On the count of three we both pull our pants down. One, two, three!"

I pulled my pants down quickly and watched as Sasuke did the same. It was silent as we both stared at each other. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"What is that?" I pointed.

He looked down innocently. "What do you mean?"

I wiggled my finger insistently. "That thing hanging. I mean, how do you even pee? Where does the pee come from?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I dunno, it just does. But where's yours? How come you don't have one?" he looked back over at me.

I crossed my arms. "Cause I'm not weird, duh. Maybe it's cause you're an angel. Maybe that's why you gots one." I suggested. I pulled my pants back up, shortly followed by Sasuke doing the same.

"Well, now you know." He mumbled.

I plopped down, nodding. "yeah and I wish I didn't."

I opened my eyes, a blush forming. What was that memory?

That was Sasuke and myself, I was sure of it.

I could almost see his smile in my mind if I tried picturing it.

And then suddenly, memories came crashing down on me. Us exploring places, getting into trouble, and fighting off the wild. I remembered it all.

And then I broke out into sobs.

A/N - sorry this took a while. I didn't realize that much time had passed xD Reviews would be lovely :D