I Do Not Own Naruto

Chapter 37

Sakura was walking to Tenten's with her baby gift for the mother to be and Sakura smiled in delight. It was such a good day for her, she had secured her plans to go to the Rinne Festival, and she was alright with it. Naruto had asked her to the festival earlier today and she had said sure, she liked going to the festival with friends, and Naruto was her best friend. Well, one of her best friends; he was definitely her truest of friends. Which was why she was humming with delight as she walked to Tenten's.

"Hey Sakura!" a voice called out, she turned to see an over bundled up Temari hurrying to her.

"Hey Temari," she smiled.

"Tenten's baby shower?" Temari asked with her own box in hand.

"Yeah, you?" Sakura asked as they walked to the shop.

"Yeah," Temari said.

"Are you going to the Rinne Festival?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, with Shikamaru, he asked me, and Ino said something about dressing me properly today," the blonde shivered as they walked into the heated, unopened, store.

"Oh, that's great, I don't think Shikamaru has ever gone to the Rinne Festival with anyone," Sakura mused. Honestly, she didn't think Shikamaru had ever bothered to go to a festival; it was (in his words): 'a drag'.

"It just sort of… happened," Temari said; looking a bit stunned.

"That's awesome, you two are great together, I envy you," Sakura beamed.

"We're not…" Temari said with a furious shake of her head and a hotly glare.

"Oh, I thought you were. You two mesh so well that it just wouldn't surprise me if you two ended up together," she admitted. The blonde sighed.

"What about you and the sexy Uchiha? You two married yet?" Temari snidely demanded and Sakura brushed it off with an innocent smile and a laugh.

"No, Sasuke is just a friend, and he doesn't need me to be his lover," Sakura dismissed as she walked up the stairs.

"Mighty words coming from you," Temari snapped.

"No, it's just the truth at this moment, besides I doubt he'd marry a former fangirl," Sakura smiled sharply then.

"Huh?"

"Oh yeah, I was obsessive," Sakura chuckled, Temari burst into laughter as they walked into Tenten's apartment.

"Hey guys! I'm so glad you could make it!" Tenten said as she moved to hug them. Sakura smiled as she hugged her friend and pulled back.

"Nervous?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, a little," Tenten admitted rubbing her hand over the buldging belly. "But… I'm… I'm kind of excited."

"That's great!" Temari said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm going to the Rinne Festival with Guy and Lee," Tenten said.

"Hey guys! Time to get the part started!" Ino shouted as she appeared behind them and Sakura chuckled as she watched Tenten and Temari get herded into the apartment and Hinata appeared beside her then.

"She seems happier," Hinata whispered.

"I think she's adapting," Sakura admitted.

"Are you going to the Rinne Festival?"

"Yeah, Naruto asked me, but just as friends, you're more than welcomed to join us," Sakura said quickly.

Sasuke survived his evaluation, he was certain of that as he sat in his quarters preparing to leave again. He was double checking all of his supplies and what he was going to need. Part of him was tempted to just go west, and keep going until he reached the end of the continent. But he wouldn't.

He had become a shinobi of the Shinobi Union and he wasn't… he wouldn't, be tray Team 7 like that again. Sakura had stuck her neck out on the line for him.

Funny, he couldn't actually remember anyone doing that for him before her. Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath as he remembered her sitting at the table reading. It was annoying really, but it was… it was soothing in a way. He supposed that it was going to calm him; at least until she got married and left him alone. Strange, she had never been important in his life; she still wasn't. She was just an annoyance. But the thought of her leaving him, moving on (as was her right), it crippled him internally and he didn't know why.

Sasuke looked up when the door was knocked on then opened and found himself looking at the Kazekage.

"You passed your evaluation, I have your next mission," the Kazekage informed him.

"Hn," he nodded as he reached out to take the scroll.

"This is a new beginning Sasuke. The path of redemption is not easy, but you will be able to find it," Gaara said and Sasuke stared at those clear eyes.

"Redemption is not what I seek," he lied as he took the scroll.

"Then what is? The path you walk now will never be clear until you have a goal," Gaara said.

"Survival," he muttered and slipped the scroll into his pack as he moved to leave.

"Stay, rest, leave at dawn, there's a storm rolling in," Gaara said.

"Aa," he submitted.

"Good," Gaara left him then and Sasuke sat on the bed.

The lie had cost him in ways no one would ever know. Oh, he wanted redemption, he wanted it so badly that he could almost taste it, and he dreamt of being free, of being able to be the man his friends thought he could be. The man his brother had been despite everything.

Sasuke sighed as he stretched out on the bed. He wanted to be more like Itachi. And not like when he was a child and wanted to be exactly like Itachi. No, Sasuke wanted… he wanted to be quiet, he wanted to protect the village (even though he still hated it), and he wanted to see the big picture. It wasn't something he'd see over night, but he was certain that as he healed he could see it.

He did not need the village's forgiveness.

No, but he sought his own redemption from the hell he had put himself in.

The sand came roaring in and blinding the window to nothing but a brown shadow which was why Sasuke closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

Sakura walked with Hinata, her hands were stuffed into her pockets as she thought about the three C-sections she had tomorrow and her shift in the children's ward, and the orphan home she would be visiting. Not to mention she was going to be breaking into one Tsumiko Kido's office for a meeting, and threatening to get the funding her project needed even if she had to turn his bones into rubble! She was not letting some idiot from Root fuck up the world more because he was a money hiding bastard!

"S-Sakura?" Hinata stammered.

"Hm?"

"Are… are you… dating Naruto?" the Hyūga stammered and Sakura stiffened.

"Everything I said girls' weekend holds true Hinata," she whispered as they stopped. "No, I'm not dating him, nor am I ever going to date him. It would be like dating my brother if I had a brother. I'm going to the Rinne Festival with him because that's what we've been doing for years. And when I don't go with him, I go with Kakashi or Sai or even Yamato. I'm not ever going to be the one who loves him as he needs."

"O-Oh," Hinata blushed furiously then. "I-I'm Sor…"

"Don't worry about it, Hinata," Sakura cut her off then with a smile. "I'm rooting for you, besides, I think you're his best bet at growing up."

"Huh?"

"Nothing!" she chuckled nervously and Hinata smiled a little.

"I just…"

"You don't need to say it, he's yours and if I have to pound his hordes of fangirls for you, I will," Sakura chuckled.

"Thank you, Sakura," Hinata whispered.

"No problem," Sakura shrugged. "So, about joining us at the Rinne Festival, want to?"

"Y-Yes," she nodded.

"Good, I'm inviting you, and I'll leave Naruto in your care," Sakura dismissed.

"Huh!?"

"Well, I have to interrogate Sai's new girl, and I can't have Naruto around when I do that. He'll like her!" Sakura said dubiously. Seriously, she didn't think there was a soul in this world who Naruto didn't like. It was quite frustrating really; he trusted and adored everyone which made it challenging to keep him focused on the tasks at hand or keep him focused on his missions. It also made it difficult for him to 'see' people, everyone was a friend in Naruto's mind, and if they weren't he could turn them to his side.

It was a blessing and a curse in Sakura's mind.

"Oh," Hinata nodded.

"Just… be patient with him Hinata," Sakura whispered.

"I will," she smiled.

"Good," Sakura chuckled and they parted ways. Sakura's heart ached but she could handle it as she climbed the stairs to her apartment and sighed. If only life could be simple for her. Please Sasuke, her mind whispered as she looked out at the village, please be alright.

Sasuke was up before the crack of dawn, there was no howling winds, screaming sands, or shuddering walls as he picked up his pack, pulled on Sakura's gift to him, and reached for the door. He paused for a moment when he noticed a tear in the cloak Sakura had given him and dismissed it as he left.

The people were waking up, he noticed as he walked through the village and headed for the gates. He was greeted by the Kazekage at the center of the village.

"Uchiha," Gaara nodded.

"Hn," he nodded in return as they walked in silence through the village.

"Is there any news I should pass along?" Gaara rasped.

"No," Sasuke answered when they reached the gates.

"Surely your team would like to know how you're doing," Gaara said softly.

"No, no news," Sasuke said and he left the village behind him.

This journey, it was his, and his alone. He would work hard to earn the redemption he sought, but for now he would survive. He needed to get on without his team worrying his mind and without wondering how they were doing.

No doubt he would compare himself to them, it was the competitive part of him which always sought to outdo Naruto or beat Sakura.

Naruto was going to be the Seventh Hokage, no doubt, he was savior of the world and everyone loved him right now. And as proud of the dobe as he was, it hurt, there was a bitter pain lancing him as he looked at where he stood right now; as nothing more than a broken thing. It was not something he was proud of doing, but Sasuke knew he'd be sparing himself a lot of pain if he didn't think about what the dobe was doing.

And then there was Sakura.

Sasuke didn't want to know how she was, he didn't want to know where she was or what she was doing. It would hurt, and it did hurt, and it was selfish, and it was wrong, but that was what he wanted and he was certain Sakura wanted the same. Besides, if he didn't know what she was doing then he didn't have to worry about her moving on, leaving him behind, forgetting him. She would be forever his teammate and true friend, but nothing more.

He had nothing more to give, and that was his burden.

His pathetic secret, his stupid truth; whatever the hell you wanted to call it, the point was, he had nothing to give her beside pain. And after everything she had done for him he wasn't going to be involved with hurting her that way.

The wind picked up around him, the tear on the cloak infuriated him because it shouldn't be there. He would purchase something else to wear and keep the cloak safely tucked in his bag. This gift meant a lot to him and he'd be damned if his carelessness got it destroyed.

The sky bled red as the sun thrusted it's light over horizon.

It was a mesmerizing sight, a bitterly peaceful morning.

To the guest asking where the original UtDID went, it's currently being edited a bit and rearranged (due to a very screwy timeline), and will be posted here, again, when I reach that point in the story; which will hopefully be soon.

To smiletime: I can't answer your request, but I wouldn't use Scarlet Spring or Dobe Jr. for reference for this story at this point; both of those will be undergoing edits soon.

For those of you wondering I had a wonderful holiday, lots of turkey and naps, lots of food, and set up Christmas. Though I am still trying to figure out how it is that I am the daughter who always ends up on the roof to set up lights rather than my sister; I have an irrational fear of falling off the damn roof. It isn't the height or the fall that scares me so much as it is the SPLAT part that terrifies me. Weird, I know, but it is what it is; I guess.

Anyways, until New Years this will get weekly updates rather than the original dual weekly updates. After New Years... who knows. =)

That's all for now folks!

Enjoy Until the Day I Die! =)