AN: I pretty much took all of the plot out of this because I'm lazy and bored and I wanted to get this done in one night. Not much effort was put into this, so I apologize for the lax effort. I might try improving it or something later. I hope Sasuke isn't too OOC. Wah, he's difficult.

Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine. Wah.

Not Enough Love

"Sakura."

His lips spoke her name as though it were second nature despite the fact that he hadn't said it in years. He watched her training in the distance, fully concentrated and deadly. It amazed him that she'd grow to become so strong and beautiful. Beautiful. The word sounded strange even in his mind. Such a thought hardly ever came. He was used to having only one goal in mind and knew it better than his name.

I am an avenger.

Memories that he had been tucked away trickled back. She always asked him on dates and tried to find ways to be close to him yet never knew who he really was. Deep inside, he had memories and feeling that proved otherwise, but they were locked shut. Sakura, such a pest. She only kept him from his goal. Pest.

The determined look in her eyes said otherwise.

He remembered the feeling of her body on his as he woke from what he thought was death. Heavy. She felt heavy. Those tears. They seemed real. They seemed like the tears one sheds for someone they love. Someone that is precious to them. Was he precious to her? Did the pain in her eyes come from the idea of losing him? Sakura, you're heavy.

She continued to kick a wooden dummy with everything she had.

He remembered the look on her face. She was afraid, so afraid. Of what? It was him, wasn't it? Those eyes. Her face. What had he just done? What was he doing? The rage subsided and he felt her arms. She was warm. Her embrace made him stop. His legs weakened and fell under him and she collapsed by his side. He knew, but he didn't think. I'd do anything for her.

The dummy broke in two.

He shook his head and started heading out. Watching her was only wasting his time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two pairs of sharingan eyes met. The only two pairs left. Today they faced their demon. One created through a need for revenge, the other driven by the desire for power.

Sasuke looked down on his older brother as realization set in. He'd won. His revenge would be over in a matter of seconds. Itachi had been taken down and now lay in a puddle of blood. His body was heavily injured from the fight as well and he could no longer move. Sasuke was injured as well, but managed to be the less maimed of the two. He bent down and held his kunai to Itachi's throat.

Sasuke felt a single tear fall down his cheek. It reminded him of something. Sakura. He remembered her crying and telling him how devoted she was. She said she loved him. She said so many things. They came back and for once, he thought about them. He had never really processed everything she said. One thing in particular came to mind.

"I know all about your past, Sasuke. Even if you get revenge though, it won't bring anyone happiness. Not even you, Sasuke. Nor me."

He'd do anything for her.

The kunai slipped from his hand. Killing Itachi wouldn't change the fact that his clan had died. He'd never spent a moment mourning. He'd never gotten a chance to feel remorse over the loss of his parents. Instead, he'd spent almost every waking moment thinking of how powerful he was and how he could get even stronger. Anything to beat Itachi. Nothing else mattered. He had never considered what he'd do once Itachi was gone. He only now realized that the death of his older brother would never make the loneliness go away and never bring back the people he'd loved. He spent so much time hating that he forgot to do the one thing that would make the pain go away.

"Love me, older brother."

Uchiha Itachi had been spared.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was surprised to see a man at her training ground. He was the perfect image of tall, dark, and handsome and had a cocky smirk on his face. She would recognize that smirk anywhere.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Sakura," he closed the distance between them and whispered into her ear, "I'm home."