I refuse to put a disclaimer here cause everyone should be bright enough to know that I don't own Naruto. I'm pretty sure that's why this is called FANfiction.

├Part Twenty-Five┤

I followed at a safe distance. I didn't know if he knew I was there or not, I could only guess. I reasoned that he knew because he wasn't stupid, as much as I hated to say it.

I had left my goggles and clip at home, thinking I wasn't going to need them when I left. I guess I never really needed them.

Suddenly there was someone in front of me.

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Sasuke asked with an eyebrow raised.

I tilted my head to the side and grinned, "Actually I was just thinking that," I said.

"So you don't feel sadness or remorse for me leaving Konoha?" he asked sounding genuinely curious.

I sighed, "Well I'd rather you have stayed but…" I straightened up a bit, "No matter what, I'll follow where ever you go," I said getting a stubborn look in my eyes again.

He shook his head and moved his gaze to the side, "You are one weird girl, you know that? You hate me, remember? Why would you follow me?" he asked.

I felt my face get warmer but he couldn't see me blush because of the mask, "Because…well…" I said, not wanting to say something I wasn't sure about, "I can't just let you go like that," I said finally after much careful thought, "To go alone…I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

He frowned slightly, "Didn't I tell you though that you'd be a distraction?" he asked, "And I can't have distractions while getting stronger."

"And how would I become a distraction? You hate me, remember?" I asked, "Why would I of all people become a distraction to you?"

In the darkened night I didn't see the slight hint of color come to his cheeks as he tried to come up with an answer, "It's just that…you…" he said, "You'd remind me of Konoha too much. You'd remind me of what I left behind."

I raised an eyebrow, "Are you telling me you'd regret leaving Konoha? If you would, then why leave? Why get stronger with someone else when you can get stronger here? Why leave if you've got everything here? Why, if you'd regret it? WHY, DAMMIT?!" I screamed at him.

He flinched slightly but then regained his composure while sighing deeply, "Because I need to get stronger," he said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," I said sarcastically. Usually I didn't let out much emotion, "You need to kill your brother. I just hope you figure out another dream before you achieve the first one."

He looked at me confused, "What do you mean?" he asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "What I mean is this, after you kill your brother, be ready to have another goal in your life. Because otherwise you'd be living your life with no purpose," I said.

His dark eyes slowly left mine to look at his side, thinking my words over in his head. Then he looked back at me, with a sort of uncertain expression. This was something you didn't see often on Uchiha's face.

"I…suppose my…other goal," he said softly and slowly, "Would be…to revive…the clan…"

I raised an eyebrow, obviously not getting his meaning, "Huh? How are you going to revive them? I don't think you can make them come back from the dead…" I said.

He rolled his eyes and said, "You are more dense than Naruto," he then sighed and said, "Hey, take off your mask again…I've forgotten what you look like. I want to remember everything before I leave."

I groaned and pulled my mask down, "Didn't I tell you I was coming with you?" I asked.

Sasuke frowned, "The marks…are different," he commented.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, they change and grow with how experienced I become," I said while scratching my cheek, "Eventually they'll start to change color too."

All was silent for a moment, "I'm already late but you haven't told me how your family died," he said, "Did you have any siblings or anything?"

I sighed, not really wanting to get into this, "I had both, a younger and older sister. I guess I had an older brother before I was born but he died so I don't remember him at all," I said.

"But how did they die?" he asked.

I gave him a cold stare, "They were forced to kill themselves," I said, my tone bitter.

His eyes visibly widened to what I guessed were as far as they'd go. His mouth opened and closed, as if trying to figure out what to say.

"…how?" he finally asked after about five minutes of an awkward silence.

"I'd really love to stop talking about it," I said, "What I want to know is what you meant by calling me more dense than Naruto."

He rolled his eyes before a small smirk formed on his face. He jumped closer to me, on the same branch. I turned so I was facing him.

"You said reviving your clan but how can you bring someone back from the dead?" I asked looking at him confused.

He shook his head, his dark hair moving the directions he turned, "You still don't get it. I didn't mean, bringing the dead back. I wish that could happen but it can't. It's impossible," he said, "You are really, REALLY dense…"

I glared at him, "That's not nice! If you'd just explain it to me instead of teasing me about it, then yeah, I'd get it," I said.

His eyes had a strange look to them, something I've never seen on him before.

He then whispered so low, I nearly didn't catch it, "To start a family, get the clan alive again."

Then I felt his soft lips being pressed up against mine. My breath got caught up in my throat and my heart felt as though it were doing a whole gymnastics act all on it's own. But then, as he pulled away, my world went black.

Read and Review, please! Anything extremely negative will be ignored, any real good advice will be appreciated and considered seriously

-Jen-