Authors Note: I know I know! Where the FUCK have I been this time?! Well, allow me to explain…there was this black cat, so I had to take the long way around to write this chapter…..I'm just Kakashi-ing you. The truth is, I kinda forgot to write because I've been playing too much Kingdom Hearts II and then Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Triology came out and I had to play that as much as possible and rage quit and stress and wonder why I would subject myself to the torture of 3D platformers. Then I realized, "Oh yeah I have that Sakura and Neji thingy in my laptop. I could totally work on that and get my frustrations out about this stupid orange dumb bandicoot who has to flip for no resons!"…..Sigh. Sorry about that, but that's what really happened. No joke. I love you and as retribution for going down the rabbit hole of video games I shall be releasing at least 3 new chapters this week. Please Enjoy!

~XOXO


Sakura awoke to plain white ceiling staring back at her. She had been sleeping most of the day away. Occasionally, she would catch glimpses of conversations. A few close friends had come to visit including Naruto, Ino and Sai and Kakashi Though she caught Kakashi red handed leaving a kiss on her forehead, she was too weak and depleted to say anything to him. She had just fallen back into slumber where the she didn't dream anything.

Sakura turned her head to the side, her headband gleamed in the evening light and a pang of loss stabbed at her heart. Neji had broken things off with her and though she knew he was just on the other side of the curtain, he never felt so far away and herself never felt more alone. In an instant, she had basically lost everything to her. Naruto was furious with her, Sasuke. . .same as always, Kakashi pitied her, Ino and Sai couldn't understand her problem and Neji. . .well he said what he needed to say.

How had her life come to this, how did she go from having everything to feeling utterly alone and feeling like she had nothing. Sakura turned her eyes to the shadowed figure on the other side of her curtain. She'd have to try, she wasn't going to spend the rest of her life regretting and wanting Sasuke when it was clear that he didn't want anything to with her. Slowly she sat up with labored effort, her body felt heavy, exhaustion was hard on the body. Sakura shifted her legs to the edge of the bed and reached over to her IV stand.

"Do you need help," came Neji's voice softly.

"No. Thank you though," she replied automatically. Though she wasn't one to admitting when she needed help, always trying to do things herself. But this hurdle in her life called Sasuke was the one thing that no one could help her with. "Where are they keeping Sasuke, I have something to say to him," Sakura questioned as she used the support from her stand to help herself stand. She was in the ugly green hospital gown that she herself was not a fan of. Her hands were bandaged and the tile floor was cold against the bottom of her feet.

"He's across the hall, I'll tell Kakashi," was all that Neji said before leaving the room.

Sakura reached down for her headband and gripped it in the center. Slowly she raised it to her forehead tying it tightly in the back. She typically didn't wear it this way but she felt confidence and strength flow through her after securing it in place. It was time she grow up and become the real kunoichi everyone thought she was. Slowly she walked towards the curtain and pulled it back. She flinched in pain as her body was screaming at her to lay her butt down and rest. However, if she didn't do this while she had the never than she would never do it, and she wouldn't be able to get a move on with her life.

In the hall, she wasn't too shocked to find Naruto, Kakashi and Neji waiting just outside Sasuke's door. Sakura walked past them and shut the door behind her to give them privacy.

"I was wondering when you were going to come," came Sasuke's voice from behind the curtain.

"I have something I need to say to you Sasuke, I hope you'll bear with me as I try to explain this," Sakura said debating if she should look him in the eyes or just stay behind the curtain. Though it was cowardly she opted for staying hidden, afraid she would lose her nerve if she saw him. "I have loved you for most of my life, you were my first love and even now I love you. However, I can't wait my whole life waiting for you to love me in the same way. All I ever asked was that you take it easy on me, yet you had no mercy on me, you tore my heart apart with not even a second thought," Sakura had hot tears streaming down her face, her voice wavering slightly. "I would've sacrificed myself for you Sasuke, I would've gladly given my life for yours, however never once have I been able to say the same for you. I have secluded myself into my work to avoid you, so I wouldn't have to come to terms that you would never love me. But now that time has passed. I know now that I can't wait forever for you, I have someone who does have genuine interest in me and because I couldn't let go of you, he let go of me. I will not lose anymore of myself to you. I'll always be your friend Sasuke," Sakura finished and turned to leave, she felt even more exhausted if it was even possible, also her IV machine was beeping at her letting her know that her IV bag needed to be replaced.

"The thing is Sakura, I never wanted to be your friend. You always were much more to me than that, and I can't believe that after all this time you make me have to say it," Sasuke said grabbing onto her wrist hard. Sakura whipped her head back and was pulled into an embrace by Sasuke. "I love you Sakura, I've always loved you. I thought you would know that without me having to say it."

Sakura buried her face into his chest breathing in his scent, though they were in hospital gowns, Sasuke had a very distinct smell to him. He always smelled like fresh rain, how he did it was beyond Sakura but she liked the smell of him. Her heart wretched with pain knowing that he was saying his good bye to her.

"I stood in your path for too long, and even when Kakashi and Naruto said that I should leave you I couldn't bring myself to. I couldn't tear myself away from you, I was so deeply in love with you that I didn't care that I was holding you back, you were mine and that was all that mattered to me. And when I did concede because I was sure that you were at your maximum potential did I then see that you were meant to be so much more. I am in awe of you Sakura, you truly are amazing and now that I see that you have now determined yourself to be the kunoichi you were always meant to be. I will support you and Naruto from the shadows."

Sakura was sobbing, not in sadness but in happiness. These were the words she had always wanted to hear from Sasuke and it felt good hearing them. They reaffirmed her decision about letting Sasuke go. They continued to hug for another few minutes until Sasukes IV machine started to beep at him as well. Slowly the broke apart and Sasuke reached up and wiped a few tears from her cheek. He gave her a soft smile and then jerked his head to the door signaling her to leave, she didn't protest and turned to leave.

Sakura composed herself and opened the door and the three males waiting outside were waiting with in trepidation for her. She grabbed Sasukes chart and pen from outside his door and signed her name on his release papers.

"Hey what do you think you are doing," Naruto protested snatching the clipboard from her hands as she finished signing her name. Sakura swiftly moved to her door and signed her own release forms.

"Naruto, Sasuke and I are fine. I'll be fine with a few days rest and Sasuke is in perfect health condition to be released. There is no reason why we should both stay here when there could be people using these rooms. Don't worry. I will take two full weeks off work to rest and recuperate," Sakura explained as she opened her door.

"Well I'm no doctor so I will take you word for it. However, Kakashi please stay with Sasuke until tomorrow morning to make sure no health problems arise, if they do please report them immediately to Sakura. And Neji, I would like you to stay with Sakura until morning. Should she require medical attention bring her to the hospitals lead doctor Ino," Naruto directed.

Sakura shut the door behind her and moved to her bedside and sat down. Slowly she undid the tape for her IV and pulled the needle out putting a gauze she found in the desk draw over the puncture wound. She used medical tape and secured the gauze in place, it would do for now until the blood clotted. Sakura reached up on the IV machine and punched the power button to shut it up, it had been starting to grate on her nerves that her machine was going off this whole time and not one nurse came to find her or replace her bag. When she got back to work she'd have a meeting the lead nurses to be more vigilant on duty.

Sakura looked at her clothes in a bag and was pleasantly surprised to see that they had been washed and neatly folded, Hinata must've came through and done her laundry. She smiled and reached for the large plastic bag opening the top. She took out her clothes laying them beside her. Slowly she got dressed and slipped into her heels which she found had been tucked under her bed. Sakura touched the cool metal of her headband and smiled, she felt like a whole new person. A she felt lighter as if heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders. And with becoming a whole new person came a whole new look. She was going to have to go shopping and she knew Ino would go with her without hesitation. It was time to crawl out of the hole she had been hiding in for two years.

With newfound confidence Sakura left her room and smiled when she saw Sasuke waiting for her. She reached her hand out and he took it, they shook hands and parted ways. Neji trailed slightly behind Sakura and she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. "Neji I need to make a few quick stops to get some things. Is that alright with you," she asked.

"Sure," Neji stated flatly.

Sakura pressed her lips together and nodded her head slowly. He was still upset with her, and rightfully so. He had put himself out there for her and she treated him the same way Sasuke had treated her. She would have to make it up to him somehow, though she didn't know a lot about Neji so it was hard to get a 'I'm sorry for being a stupid head' gift.


Neji could only imagine how ridiculous he looked carrying several bags on both arms while following Sakura around town. A few quick stops was more like going to ten different stores, groceries as apparently she didn't have any food in her house since she was never there. Flowers, to make use of a vase one of her patients had given her as a thank you gift, the majority of bags were from a few different clothing shops. Their last stop was at shoe department in town. Neji groaned when Sakura said she'd be in there for five minutes. Neji stood outside trying not to look embarrassed, surprisingly Sakura had kept her promised and had come out with two bags, two boxes in each bag.

"Alright, now we can head home. Sorry about that," Sakura said cheerfully and started to walk towards her apartment, suddenly she felt weak and stumbled a bit, she felt Neji's hand grip her arms and then he was taking the bags from her. A blush swiftly made its way to her cheeks when she looked around and saw people watching and talking. "Neji you don't have to carry those bags, I can get them," she said reaching for at least one.

"No, I have them. You just focus on getting home," Neji said as he let go of her and waited for her to start walking again. Once she did he followed close behind her. Even though he didn't like the idea of being her personal pack mule he did like that he was able to help her somehow. He still had a desire deep inside of him to be of some type of use to her.

Once they were home Sakura got busy with putting the groceries away and putting the flowers in a vase of water. She directed him put the shoes and clothes in her room on the bed. Neji looked at the bed and cringed slightly when he saw that the bed had not been made. Neji shrugged it off as a happenstance as he set the bags down on the floor and proceeded to make her bed. He found the condom wrapper and put it in the waste basket near the night stand. He fluffed her pillows and tucked her sheets, when he was done the bed was made to ninja level standards. When Neji emerged from her bedroom Sakura was in the kitchen putting rice in a rice cooker. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled and for a quick moment Neji felt his heart pound harder and memories of their one night together flashed in his mind. Neji coughed and looked away from Sakura trying to hide the blush that had materialized on his cheeks.

"If you want, I can hold down the fort here and you can go home and get an overnight bag or something. I really don't know if men do overnight bags," Sakura chuckled realizing how little she knew about mutual relationships. Sasuke had never stayed at her place, she was always there and even had a drawer of things of her own.

"Oh, thank you. I will not be long so please stay out of trouble while I'm gone," Neji teased as he made his way to the door to put on his sandals.

"Me? Getting into trouble, I would never," Sakura feigned offense as she spun her upper body toward him and placed her hand on her chest.

"Yes you, stay out of trouble," Neji confirmed with a devilish smile as he put on his shoes. "Otherwise, I'll have to punish you," he stood to his full height and winked at her Sakura. Neji reached for the door and walked softly shutting the door behind him. He paused for a moment outside of Sakura's apartment to hear her reaction. And she did not disappoint.

"Sakura, what have you gotten yourself into," he heard Sakura squeal out with fits of girlish giggling following.

Neji smirked and started off thinking how getting her back was not going to be as hard as he initially thought.