His black hair blew over his face in the chilly wind. His expression was calm, and almost had emotion mixed into it. While I was over there, reminding myself to breathe, Sasuke Uchiha was standing in front of me, calm and collected. This was how it always was, even way back when we were all a squad. His eyes became soft and delicate, as if he was happy to see me. As if he was happy I was alive.

I slowly crawled to my knees as Sasuke watched my every movement. Tears flew down my face and onto my lips as I felt a smile curl at the edges. The wind bit at my bare legs from under the gown, but it didn't even matter. With all my might, I lunged my body at Sasuke.

I threw my arms around his neck, tears falling like streams. He wrapped his arms around my weak body and pulled me tightly to his chest. I dug my face into his neck, soaking it with my tears. He dug his own face into my pink, shoulder length hair and I felt him smile against my head. I continued to hang my arms around his neck, as if I was holding for dear life. Sasuke just held me tightly, I couldn't get out of the grip even if I wanted to. For a minute, it reminded me of how tight Itachi had held me the night he raped me. But when Sasuke picked me up off of the ground, the image went away as I placed my head on his shoulder.

"Sasuke! Oh Sasuke!" I screamed finally. My face was soaked with tears, once again, but they were not tears of pain or fright. They were filled with excitement and joy. My heart was beating ninety miles an hour it seemed like, and Sasuke just remained calm as he continued to smile.

"Sakura," he said simply, but it had a bit of emotion mixed in there somewhere.

"Oh, Sasuke...." I said leaning away just enough to look at his face. His mouth was worked up into a small smile, and his eyes were soft. "I was so worried about you, I couldn't stop thinking about you!" I said so quickly, I didn't even know if he caught all of it.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke apologized softly. "I was injured"-

"Shut up." I said cutting him off. Then I leaned my head in and pressed my lips to his, quickly and firmly. I was half expecting Sasuke to lean away, but he didn't. I almost smiled against his lips because I felt like I was in control for once. Me. Not Sasuke, but me. My arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as Sasuke continued to proceed with our kiss.

He was much taller than me, and I was still off of the ground. His arms were wrapped around my waist as he pulled me closer to his body. I wasn't sure when he slipped his tongue in, but he did and we were kissing passionately. My head was spinning, like this was just a dream and I would wake up soon. Never in my life would I have ever dreamed I was kissing Sasuke, not after all the years id spent knowing him. He was never the type to be into girls, especially me. He was always the one to train hard and focus on nothing but that. So, it was still surprising to know I was kissing him.

This had to be fake, this couldn't really be real, could it? Maybe I was under a cruel and horrible genjutsu, or maybe I was delusional. Still, either way, I couldn't bring myself to stop to make sure he was real. My hands were tangled in his soft, black hair as I tried to pull him closer, even though it was not physically possible he could be any closer than he already was.

Right when I thought I was seriously, actually going to pass out, Sasuke pulled away. He pulled away slowly, giving me the hint to pull away as well. At first I hesitated, but then I did. I opened my own green eyes, only to see that his were still closed. His expression was unreadable, and his breathing was calm. I couldn't say that for mine, I was panting like I had just ran a marathon. Sasuke smirked.

"Breathe," he said opening his dark, onyx eyes. His eyes bore into mine as he slowly placed me on the ground. My knees almost gave out, but he had his arms around my tightly. He placed one of his cold hands on my cheek. He rubbed my cheekbone with his thumb softly and sighed.

"Sasuke, oh Sasuke, I love you so much..." I muttered.

"I know," Sasuke said as if everyone knew the obvious fact.

"Sasuke..." I said standing on my tippytoes to reach his face. "Sasuke...I was so worried."

"I was...worried about you too." he hesitated, as if he were afraid to say it. But then again, I knew it was hard for Sasuke to talk about his emotions, I knew he was used to just keeping them all balled up inside. He opened his eyes to look at me. I couldn't help but smile when I saw a hint of love and careness in his eyes, that pretty much told me all that I needed to know.

"Three weeks...I thought..." I started to say but bit my lip and looked away. "Never mind what I thought...what happened?" I demanded, forcing myself to look back into his dark eyes.

Sasuke closed his eyes and tilted his head down. He removed his hand from my cheek and let it rest on my hip. His other, was to his side. I placed a hand on his cheek softly, as if I were reassuring him. He took a sigh before he spoke:

"We fought." Sasuke said coldly. He opened his eyes and looked ahead, past me. "It was a long battle."

"Your arms..." I said acknowledging the blood stained bandages that were wrapped tightly around his forearms.

"Kunai," Sasuke said sharply as he glanced to them as well. "Itachi was no pushover. But we all knew that before I stayed to fight him."

"What happened?" I repeated removing my hand from his face and touching his arm gently. By the color red of the bloodstains, I could tell the wounds were deep. The deeper they were, the darker the blood was.

Sasuke did not flinch, he just sighed again before answering. "Too much to describe," Sasuke said coldly. "It was long and drawn out. We both wouldn't give up until the other was dead."

I gasped as my head jerked up to his. My eyes stared at his pale face, his hair blowing in the from a gust of cold wind. He blew over his beautiful features and his eyes stared ahead. "Itachi...?" I asked as if I had never heard the word before.

"I was trapped in his genjutsu. That brought me down." Sasuke said, his expression becoming angry as he remembered something in his mind. "It was a different genjutsu this time...it was worse than what I had been through before."

"Wo-worse?" I stuttered. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I thought about what he had just said. What was worse than having your own family destroyed in front of your eyes?

"Yes." Sasuke said simply.

"What was it?" I dared to ask.

Sasuke took a deep breath and looked at me, his eyes cold and mysterious like. He hesitated, but opened his mouth to speak: "The image of Akiyo dying."

I gasped as I felt my body tense up. The words alone almost made me have a heart attack, let alone seeing it. Even if it was a genjutsu, that was lower than low. I didn't even know Itachi could be like that, to his own son.

"Akiyo...dying..." I said quietly, I didnt even think Sasuke could have heard it. Of course he did and he sighed, bringing my face into his hands.

"Its okay." he said softly, gently. My head began to spin again, I was still not used to this behavior from Sasuke. I had never seen him to be the gentle, soothing type. But then again, all that ran through my mind was the thought of Akiyo dying before my eyes.

"Akiyo..." I said feeling my face shrivel up. I was in no position to keep Akiyo safe right now. What would happen if Itachi came? Would Sasuke be able to save us?

"Akiyo is safe." Sasuke said grabbing my wrist. I sniffled and looked at him. "He is safe because Itachi is dead."

I gasped as my eyes grew wider than I think they ever had before. "Wha...what?" I asked hardly getting the words out. "What did you just say?"

"Itachi is dead. Like I said, we wouldn't stop until the other was dead..." Sasuke said closing his eyes and stepping away from me. "I am here. So that means...he is dead." Sasuke said pointing out the obvious to me.

I still couldn't process the information that ran through my head at that moment. "Dead..." I muttered to myself. Dead was the only word that jumped around in my head. Dead....?

"I almost died, myself." Sasuke said painfully. "Why do you think I was gone for three weeks? I managed to get myself to Orochimaru, where Kabuto healed me." I shuttered as he said Orochimaru's name. "It was close. Itachi and I both almost died. I was out for two days straight."

"Itachi...is dead?" I asked again, still not quite believing what I was hearing. Sasuke looked down and sighed.

"Yes."

I felt like I was about to pass out. Itachi was dead. He wouldn't come after Akiyo now, and we were safe. Sasuke had finally gotten his revenge for his parents and clan. I almost smiled, if I weren't afraid I would faint, I would have. Which mean't...

"Sasuke," I said reminding myself to breathe. "If Itachi is dead...that means..." I began to say, but I was thinking about so much at the same time, it was hard to get it all out. "You can come home." I finally got out. Tears spilled down my eyes as Sasuke looked at me, our eyes staring at each others.

He sighed as he began to answer. But this was not a reliving sigh, this was another one of those 'but' sighs that I always recognized. "No." he said calmly.

That knocked the wind out of me. I collapsed as the word ran through my mind ten times and ten times over. Sasuke caught me before I could fall completely on the ground, and I clutched onto his shirt for support. I had to process all the was just said, with Itachi being dead and Sasuke saying 'no' to not coming home. I tried to think. What had I missed?

"I cannot." Sasuke said his arms around my shaking body tightly.

"Why!?" I screamed tears falling like rain down my own face. Tears fell on his arms and his white shirt, but he did not notice them or did not acknowledge. He took his fingers and wiped tears away, but out of anger, I slapped his hand away. "Why!?!" I repeated again when he hadnt answered me.

"Sakura"-

"Itachi is dead!" I screamed "If what you say is true, you HAVE your revenge! What other reason would you have to not come home?! What is wrong with you!? What about Akiyo!?" I continued to scream out of anger.

"Sakura." Sasuke said in a warning tone. Like he was telling me that if I didnt shut up and let him talk, then he wasnt going to give me a reason at all. "Itachi is dead, yes." he said cooly. "But there is still the matter of Orochimaru."

"What about him!?" I demanded clenching my fists. "You want to still give him your body, don't you!?" I asked through tears. I could feel my nose begin to start running and I wiped it with my arm. Sasuke didn't seem to care, his mind was on other things.

"No"-

"Sasuke! I can't believe you!" I yelled closing my eyes and sobbing against his chest. He groaned above me.

"Sakura, Shut up and let me talk." he said harshly. This made me look up at him. His shirt was soaked with my tears from where I had sobbed. He looked at me with impatient eyes. "Orochimaru needs to die." he said as soon as he calmed himself a little.

"Wha-what?"

"Yes." Sasuke said strongly. "He told me to come back to the village and kidnap Akiyo. That's why im here." he confessed.

This made me lean back in shock. I couldn't believe this. He had been sent here to...kidnap Akiyo. I knew Orochimaru would want him! I knew it! I started to cry harder.

"You're here to take Akiyo?" I cried not able to control myself anymore.

"No." Sasuke said growing more impatient. "I am SUPPOSED to kidnap him, but I am not. Instead, I have come to let you know that I am alive and Itachi is dead." he said standing to his feet. He had his arms wrapped around me tightly and he pulled me up with him.

"So..." I said with a cracked voice.

"So..." Sasuke said continuing off. "I am going to kill Orochimaru."

"Your going to betray him?" I asked astonished. "But...why?"

"To keep Akiyo safe." Sasuke said letting me go. "I have too."

I was offically confused. "Okay...so let me TRY to get this straight. You killed Itachi, Kabuto healed you, you came back to the village under a mission to kidnap Akyio, you REALLY came here to tell me that you are okay, and now your going to kill Orochimaru to keep Akiyo safe." I said repeating all the information that was in my head. Sasuke nodded slowly. I frowned and wiped my face. "But that means...you have to leave me again."

Sasuke nodded. "Yes. I have too."

"Now?!" I yelled. "You have to leave now? Cant you just leave later"-

"No." Sasuke said sticking his hands in his pockets. "I have to leave."

"Sasuke, please don't leave me again!" I yelled lunging my body at him. He caught me as I buried my face into his chest. "I cant take not being with you anymore! I can't stand it!"

Sasuke pulled me away softly and looked at me with serious eyes. "Don't you want Akiyo to be safe?"

I sniffed. "Y-yes."

"Don't you want me to be able to come back home?"

"Ye-yes."

"I have to do this in order for that to happen." Sasuke said. "If I don't kill him now, and I just stay here, then he will come after the village except with more power." Sasuke explained. "Innocent people will die."

"Sasuke..."-

"Sakura." Sasuke said taking my face into his hands. He stared at me for a long time and brought his face inches from mine. "I'll come back for you." he whispered.

I felt my heart beat faster than ever. My blood was rushing through my body like a waterfall. He had said the same words before when he stayed to fight Itachi, and here he was in front of me. He was determined to fight for Akiyo and I, even if he risked his own life. I could hardly breathe anymore, this was too much for me to handle.

Without thinking, I shoved my lips against Sasukes and kissed him again. We kissed for a long moment, and then he pulled away. He wiped some tears off of my face and some hair out of my eyes. He smiled.

"I love you, Sasuke." I said throwing my arms around his neck.

"I know." he said again, hugging my in a tight embrace.

"Don't you love me too?" I asked not even thinking that the answer could be no. Sasuke snorted quielty.

"You know how I feel." he said with emotion this time.

"I know..." I lied. "I just want to hear it."

Sasuke pulled me away from him and looked at me for a long moment before he spoke again. "Its not the right time."

"Huh?"

"It is not the right time to tell you how I feel." he said matter-of-factly. "Not when im about to leave again."

"There is no other way?" I asked a tear escaping the corner of my right eye. Sasuke caught it before it could trail down my red soaked cheek.

"No. I wish there was, but there is not." Sasuke said. He kissed my lips and leaned away, leaving me in anguish, only wanting more of him. "Sakura..." he said softly leaning his forehead against mine. "I will come back for you."

"Okay..." was all I could get out of my mouth. This was so much for one night and my head was spinning. I clutched onto Sasukes shirt as he slowly rubbed his hand against my cheek.

"Its okay." Sasuke said reassuring. "Stay strong for Akiyo, I'll come back for you." he repeated for the third time.

I could feel my eyes become heavy as I looked at Sasukes face. I knew in my heart he loved me, and I knew he would truly come back for me. My adrenaline was rushing like crazy and I was so dizzy, I knew I was about to faint.

Sasuke kissed my lips one more time, and I closed my eyes. I felt myself fall into his arms, and then everything was dark.

Authors note: Alright. I know that was a lot of information for one chapter and I know that a lot of you wanted Sakura to somehow end up with Itachi, but I just wanted to tell you im sorry I didnt make it that way. But if you look at what happened in the story, then it just isnt possible for them to end up together. 1) he raped her 2) Sasuke wanted to kill him 3) he wanted the baby for his own power so he would never truly LOVE Akiyo and 4) it just isnt Itachi to all of a sudden turn "good". Im sorry Itachi's death upset anyone, but I just wanted to say im sorry. This was a very hard desision for me to make and this chapter was really had to write, considering I had to think of how to make it still suspensful and I had to do something with Sasuke. So im sorry if you don't agree with this. But I do not want any flames for reviews, if you like it good, if you don't, im sorry. Maybe I have another story you would like. Trust me this was hard, but I made it the best way I thought possible. Thanks.