Blood. Crimson red blood.

          It stained the floors, swirling and mixing with Sakura's tears. She sobbed loudly, her hands covering her face. Her parents lay not more than three feet away from her.

          Her mother's once beautiful face was now covered with blood, her arms and legs broken. Her father was lying facedown on the floor, a large pool of blood around him. They were both clearly dead.

          Sakura never felt more alone in her life. She remembered coming home in the early evening, to find her parents like this. She had dropped to her knees, crawling to where her parents were. It was night now, and her pink hair was matted with blood, her arms were caked in it too.

          She knew she should go get help, but she could not find the strength to even stand. She vaguely remembered the things Sasuke said about feeling pain.

          "You do not know the meaning of true pain. True pain is losing something you cared deeply for. True pain is being betrayed by the person you looked up to and admired most." He had paused then. "True pain is knowing... you couldn't even do anything about it."

          Sakura understood what he meant now. When she looked at her parent's mutilated bodies, when she remembered she was the weakest member of Team 7, when she remembered why she had come home so late...

          "Sasukeeee... can I watch you train?" Sakura said, using her shrill, annoying voice.

          "No..." Sasuke said, sounding irritable.

          "Pleeeeeease?" she said, making her voice higher (if that was possible). Very soon he'll get annoyed... he'll have to give in! Inner Sakura said inside her head, crackling evilly.

          "Argh..." he turned to face her. "If I let you watch, will you shut up?"

          "Yes."

          "Fine..." he said, and put his hand to head in hopes of making it stop pounding.

          Sakura let out a squeal of glee. Sasuke looked annoyed at this. Heh heh... Inner Sakura giggled.

          By the time he was done training, the sun was setting, so she hurried home.

          I'm so stupid... Sakura thought. Tears stung at her eyes. I'm so stupid... I was so obsessed with Sasuke... I didn't... I couldn't... I... I'm so... I couldn't do anything!

          "I'm so stupid!" She shouted, tears pouring down her face. I have to get up... I have to find help... I have to be... strong...

          With much effort, she dragged herself up off the floor. She staggered to the door, her feet scraping on the floor. They felt like they weighed a ton.

          When she was outside, a cool breeze blew against her face. She shivered. To a dry, warm person, the nighttime wind would feel pleasantly cool. Sakura, however, was drenched in a cold sweat, and the fact that her parent's blood was all over her didn't help either. The breeze felt icy, and her teeth chattered.

          "My... head..." she whispered weakly, her head throbbing in pain. She leaned against a lamppost. She willed her knees not to buckle. C'mon... come on... Stay strong... alert...

          "Oh, god..."

          Sakura collapsed. Fighting to stay conscious, she realized she was barely twenty feet away from her house. There was no way anyone would find her now.

          I'm so weak... I couldn't protect them... Even if I had gotten there earlier... I wouldn't have been able to do anthing. Tears streamed down her face once more. She was being swallowed by sadness again.

          She let out a weak sob. She rested her face on the pavement, lying there. The last thing she heard before passing out was someone shouting her name...

          This originally supposed to be a one-shot, but as I wrote it, I began to see potential for a chapter story. I may continue it. It's my first Naruto story. Not very good, I know...