Ne w chapter. Thank you all for the reviews! I was laughing reading it because all of them were like "Don't let them break up!" Anyway, thank you thank you thank you thank you!

I don't own anything except my liberty of thinking!

Chapter 21

A friend

It had been three weeks since Sakura and Sasuke had talked in the park. Nothing had changed. Sakura still didn't want to go home and Sasuke was getting tired of her stubbornness. She was still living with Ino. She had to go back to work in a few days and the young woman was looking forward to it. She wanted to go back to her habits and change her mind. She hadn't stopped thinking for the past month, about her lost baby, about Sasuke, about what she should do know.

Ino found her sitting by the windows at the same spot she had seen her each time she went home in the evening. She sighed. It was difficult for her to see her friend so down and although she tried many things to cheer her up, nothing had worked. She approached her friend, decided to talk to her friend once more.

"Sakura?"

Sakura turned around and smiled sorrowfully at her friend.

"Ino! How was your day?"

"Not too bad. Listen Sakura, we need to talk." She sat opposite her friend and took her hands in hers. Sakura frowned.

"What do you want to talk about?" She knew what Ino wanted to talk about and she was tired of it. Of course she was thankful to Ino who had let her in when she needed. But she was fed up with everyone's advice.

"You… and Sasuke." Sakura immediately sighed as she tried to get up. "No, you're going to listen to me!"

She tightened her grip on her hands.

"Just tell me. Do you love Sasuke?"

Sakura diverted her eyes. The least she could do was to be honest with her.

"Yes."

"Then tell me, what are you doing here?"

"You don't understand, Ino!" Yes, Ino didn't understand, nor Temari or Hinata.

"No, surely I don't. There's a man, madly in love with you, waiting for you, why don't you want to go back home."

Sakura had tears in her eyes.

"Do you want to get rid of me that much?"

"Of course I don't! But I don't get it! You love him; he loves you, why don't you want to be with him?"

Sakura broke into tears.

"I lost his baby. And I can't give him what he yearns for anymore! How do you think I can go back to him? He may be ok now, but what about later, when you'll all have children? I don't want to be the one responsible for."

"Sakura."

What could she say? She didn't know what it was like to lost a baby. She got up and went to hug her friend. What could she do she do for her? She wasn't the best to give advice. She wasn't even able to keep a boyfriend for long. They stayed in each other's arms for long minutes. Ino wanted to help her. Sakura was her best friend since childhood. She couldn't let her give up on Sasuke. She knew how much she loved him. She had to do something for her friend's happiness.

Ino approached the Uchiha estate. She was a little scared to face Sasuke, but it for Sakura's sake. She went to the door of the main house and knocked wondering how Sasuke would take what she was about to say to him.

She heard footsteps from the other side of the door and soon after it opened revealing an obviously in a very bad mood Sasuke. However, when he saw who was at his door, his expression quickly changed.

"Ino? Is there something wrong with Sakura?"

The guy was worried for Sakura, Ino could tell. Those two were really something.

"No, don't worry, she's fine." Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. "Can we talk?" continued Ino.

"What do you want to talk about? If it's to tell me that I should give up on Sakura then you're losing your time!" he answered aggressively.

"No! Actually it's quite the contrary."

Sasuke frowned and opened the door more widely, indicating for her to enter. They went to sit on the sofa.

"So? What do you have to tell me?"

Ino inspired before continuing.

"I… personally believe that Sakura is being an idiot, refusing to come back here. We all can see how you two love each other. So I think we should find a way for you two to spend some time together so she can realize that she can't live apart from you."

"When you say 'find a way' what do you mean?"

Ino fidgeted in her seat.

"Well, I was thinking about luring Sakura in some place where you two could talk without being interrupted."

Sasuke thought for a second.

"I've already tried to speak to her while we were alone but nothing good came out of it. What makes you think that it could work now?"

"I don't know! You just have to find what to say that would make change her mind. You managed to marry her it shouldn't be too difficult for you."

There was reproach in her voice and Ino quickly averted her eyes to the carpet not wanting to see if he was about to kill her for what she said. She was however surprised when she heard his response.

"You're right. Let's try that. But if things get worse I'll consider it your fault."

Ino gulped. Could he really do her harms if their little plan were to go wrong?

"So, when? Where?" asked Sasuke who seemed quite in a hurry to have his encounter with Sakura.

"Let's say Friday. She has to go back to work on Monday, so I think it's better if we do it better."

"Where?" Sasuke repeated now that the date was fixed.

"I thought we could make her come here but I'm not sure she'll be comfortable in the place where she was attacked." Ino continued wondering if Sakura would ever be able to come back here if she reconciled with Sasuke.

"I still have my old flat." Sasuke proposed.

"Yes, that'll be good. I'll try to get her here around seven in the evenings. Maybe you could try to make her diner or something."

"Just get her here, the rest is my business."

Ino smiled. The guy was rude but she could tell that behind his words there were worries. Sakura was one lucky girl.

I'm not quite happy with this chapter. But next chapter will be interesting, or so I hope. I hope I won't mess writing it up! All your encouragements are very motivating for me so thank you!