Too Long

Disclaimer: I know you guys don't want to read this disclaimer, but I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Intro: Thirteenth Chapter, Sasuke is taking Sakura back to Konoha. What will be the outcome?

Warning: Characters will be OOC!

The past three days had been rough on the two travelers. Snow blanketed the landscape and turned into slush under their feet. It was as if the seasons were portraying the feelings running through both people's minds.

Eventually, however, the snow disappeared and only green forests surrounded them. Sakura kept looking forward, hoping to see the walls around Konoha as soon as she could. Sasuke had been silent for a large portion of the trip. Sakura was beginning to wonder if she really was making the right decision when the gates appeared over the hill they were walking on.

Sasuke stopped as soon as he saw them and Sakura took a few more steps before realizing that he was no longer at her side. She turned around and looked back at him with confused eyes.

"I told you already, they won't let me come back, Sakura," he said with a shrug. Sakura walked toward him. He no longer wore the Akatsuki cloak but Sakura could still picture him in it when he'd rushed into battle with her comrades. She remembered the shock of seeing him wearing the signature of the enemy, but she also remembered him lending it to her to keep her warm and later, to cover her body.

If that cloak meant you were a traitor, then she too would be considered one. She only wished that she could tell Tsunade these things and beg her to show Sasuke some mercy, but she knew that was impossible.

This was goodbye for the two lovers, as she well knew. That still didn't stop the tears from pouring from her eyes as she rushed into Sasuke, his arms encircling her for what would be the last time.

"I don't want to say goodbye Sasuke! I-I love you!" she said through her tears.

Sasuke felt the tears threaten to fall from his eyes as he felt Sakura's tears soak through his black cloak and onto his chest. He held them in, knowing that he still needed to be strong, even if this was an emotional farewell for him as well.

"I know you don't Sakura, but you must. You belong in Konoha with your friends. Naruto and the others are probably worried sick about you. And besides, I am a hunted man. You are not safe with me as you have already seen. I can't protect you Sakura, no matter how much I want to. Konoha can," he said, trying to reason not only with Sakura, but also himself.

"I know...That just...doesn't make it any easier," Sakura said between sniffles. She looked up at Sasuke, her emerald eyes reddening because of her crying.

"I know it doesn't Sakura, but it's for the best," Sasuke said before pulling Sakura's chin up and leaning down to kiss her lips sweetly.

Sakura smiled at him when he did this and then turned to look at the gates once more. "So this is as far as you'll go?" she asked, hoping to change his mind.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I made some mistakes Sakura. I wish I could turn back time and change them but we both know that's impossible. We just have to do the best with what we have," Sasuke said wisely before turning Sakura back around and kissing her more passionately. When they finally broke apart he said quietly, "I will always love you, Sakura."

Sakura smiled at him again, her tears drying. "I will always love you, Sasuke-kun," she said, her voice stronger than his.

"Forever and always," Sasuke said as he let go of Sakura. She handed him the backpack filled with the traveling supplies and then turned around and ran toward the gates of Konoha before she could change her mind.

Sasuke stood there watching her leave with somber eyes. He stood there until he saw the gates swing open to let Sakura in. By then, she had almost disappeared.

You can't escape your destiny. It will always find you, the voice in his head spoke again. He looked down, thinking about the choice that he had made before making a sign with his hand and vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Sakura was halfway through the gate when she turned around to see if Sasuke was still standing there. When she did, all she saw was the smoke clearing where Sasuke had been standing. He was gone. She'd let him leave...again. No, she'd left him this time.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then turned back and walked through the gates of Konoha, her resolve stronger than ever now.

End: Wow, how ironic? I'm listening to my Itunes on shuffle currently and as I was writing the part where Sakura walked through the gate, Carrie Underwood's, "Wasted" was playing. If you have not heard of it, listen to it on .com or some other music station. It fit this chapter completely.

I know this was a short chapter but I figured it would be better to make it short than to do the timeskip I'm planning halfway through. So, REVIEW PLEASE! And thanks to everyone that recently put this story on FAVES or ALERTS. My inbox was filled with them this morning. I really appreciate it!