A/N: I finally updated! I have review replies at the end, now continue reading!

Fading Light

Chapter Seven: Realization

Sakura panted heavily. She could feel her ribs aching with pain, but she kept running. If what I'm thinking is right, then Sasuke just may kill Naruto... Sakura turned left and knocked over a cart of oranges.

"Damn kid! Get yer ass back here and pay for the oranges you squished!" a man shouted, waving a fist into the air.

"Sorry! I'll come back and help later! I promise!" Sakura shouted as she continued running.

"Damn kids, have no idea to treat their elders," the old man mumbled as he began to pick up the remains of his oranges.

Sakura kept on running. She had to hurry, she had to stop Sasuke.

(Scene Change)

Naruto dodged another attack. One more time he got hit with the chidori, and then it'd be all over. Naruto panted. He could barely move; his body was too strained. But he had to keep moving. There were too many things to do before he died. To become Hokage, paying the tab at the ramen shop, and...and...get married with Hinata.

Sasuke stepped in front of Naruto, and kicked him to the ground.

"Pity, I thought you'd be a much better challenge then this. I suppose I underestimated you," Sasuke said coldly.

Sasuke raised his fist; electricity began to burst from his fingers and then his entire hand. Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"I can't believe we used to be really close. How you used to laugh, feel pain, feel joy, how you used to be so kind. Remember when we fought with Haku and Zabuza? You nearly sacrificed yourself for me," Naruto laughed, "It's hard to believe you used to love Sakura at all. It's hard to understand why you want to kill people you love."

Sasuke raised his fist. For a minute, Naruto thought Sasuke looked sad. There was a glimmer of...a tear... But his cold expression remained the same.

Naruto closed his eyes.

(Naruto's Flashback)

He remembered when he proposed to her. She cried. Naruto had never seen Hinata cry before, he felt bad... Really, really, really bad...

"I-I'm sorry! Am I rushing things? Do you hate me?" Naruto asked as he panicked.

The people at the restaurant began to stare and whisper. Hinata continued to cry. Naruto began to panic even more.

"H-Hinata... a-are you okay?" Naruto asked quietly.

Hinata mumbled something, but Naruto didn't hear it to well.

"What?" Naruto said, staring at with a quizzical expression.

"Of course I'll marry you..." Hinata whispered shyly.

"Y-You mean it?" Naruto asked, feeling a grin stretch across his face.

Hinata nodded.

"HEEEEEELL YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH!" Naruto shouted.

At that moment, Naruto kept yelling yes and shoved his elbows down, and one of them hit the table. The table flipped on one side and splattered food all over the other customers, while plates went into the wall or shattering on the ground. A fork pinned a man's toupee into a wall, and the candles went everywhere.

Naruto managed to grab two out of the three candles, but the third candle landed on the butler's sleeve, which caught on fire.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Naruto shouted over again as he frantically tried to put it out. Finally, Hinata ran over and poured her cup of water on the butler's sleeve.

There was an awkward silence at that moment. In the end, Hinata and Naruto wound up washing all the dishes.

"I'm sorry Hinata, I didn't mean for the night to turn out this way..." Naruto apologized as another plate slipped out of his hand and shattered onto the floor.

"Keep dropping dishes like that and you'll be working here for the rest of this week!" the butler threatened angrily.

Naruto mimicked the butler out of annoyance. Hinata was caught in a fit of giggles. Naruto looked at Hinata and gave her his trademark grin.

"You know in a few years, it'll be like this. Just you, me, and a bunch of kids," Naruto sighed at the thought. Hinata became a bright shade of rouge.

"It's gonna come real soon!"

(Flashback End)

"I'm sorry I lied to you Hinata," Naruto thought to himself.

Suddenly, Naruto felt hair brush his face. Naruto opened his eyes, in front of him, was Sakura.

(Moments Ago)

Sakura halted to a stop. Half of Sasuke's apartment building was gone. Looking up at Sasuke's floor, she saw Sasuke kick Naruto without any hint of mercy.

Sakura pushed herself and jumped up the floors. She heard what Naruto said, Sasuke was lowering his fist. Before she knew it, Sakura ran and jumped in front of Naruto.

Sasuke's fist collided with Sakura's stomach. Sakura gasped as blood escaped from her lips.

She fell to the ground, shuddering with pain.

Sasuke stopped. A cold breeze passed his face as he felt coldness wash over his body. Naruto tried to stand up and check over Sakura, but he stumbled down, unable to move because he was out of chakra.

For a moment, it almost seemed as if Sakura was dead, until she stood up. You could tell she was in pain. Panting heavily, Sakura walked up to Sasuke. She faced him, giving him a parent-like frown.

"Stop trying to act all tough you ass," Sakura whispered as tears threatened to spill, "You used to be stronger then this."

"You're wrong, I've become much stronger," Sasuke said with his eyes stone cold.

"No, you're wrong. You used to be stronger then now. You always fought without the curse seal. With the curse seal, you've made yourself weak. If you keep on going like this, then you're always going to depend on the curse seal! You'll never have the true strength! You'll never be able to defeat Itachi without the curse seal! You weakling! You stupid, selfish weakling!" Sakura shouted as she felt tears run down her cheeks.

Sasuke slapped her in the face. Sakura grimaced as she fell to the ground. Sitting up, she stared at Sasuke with a hurt expression.

"You're just like Itachi." Sakura whispered.

Sasuke felt anger exploding inside of him.

"I am nothing like that bastard." Sasuke said, gritting his teeth.

"Wrong again! You're a power hungry fool! You try so hard to surpass your brother, that you'll almost do anything! Even defeat him without your own skill!" Sakura said shakily.

"Shut up!" Sasuke retorted.

"No you shut up!" Sakura snapped with fresh new tears pouring down her face, "Tell me Sasuke, what's the point of beating Itachi, when you know it wasn't you that defeated Itachi! It would be the curse seal that defeated Itachi! Not you! Do you understand? You've become so blinded by the ambition of defeating Itachi, that you've forgotten the true honor of a ninja! You've forgotten the true reason of why you wanted to defeat Itachi! You wanted to avenge your clan, but now you only want to defeat him to test you limits! Just like Itachi!"

Sasuke remained silent.

"If still don't think that you have nothing in common between you two then you should know..." Sakura panted, "What you suffered for, what I suffered for, what we all suffered for, was pointless."

Sasuke fell to his knees. Sakura stared at him. Standing up once more, she limped to him and dropped to his level. He was hugging his shoulders, unable to comprehend what he had heard. Sakura's eyes softened as she put his head in her chest.

"Please come back Sasuke." Sakura whispered.

For a moment they were silent, until Sakura felt her chest become moist. Sakura sobbed silently and put her head on top of his.

"You idiot! You stupid, stupid, stupid idiot!" Sakura whispered.

Naruto watched them silently, only thanking God, that he was still alive. Sakura embraced his head and continued to cry tears. This was the first time Sakura felt relieved. The first time in very long time...

(End Chapter)

A/N: Eek! I am SSSSOOO SOOOOOOOOORRRRY that I haven't updated! I started school two weeks ago and already have a buttload of homework and tests to study for! Don't expect me update to quickly, my schedule is booked, but I will update when I can. Oh, and let me wan you, Fading Light will be coming to an end in a few chapters! Later my readers and please do review!

Review Replies:

Mindlezz: Wow! The Mindlezz has read and reviews! I feel so honored! Now I have two wonderful writers reviewing and reading my story! Glad you like it!

emir: I glad you've enjoyed the story and started reviewing! Hope to see more of your criticism!

Durian: I'm sure this chapter answered your questions. Glad you like the cliff hangers, I love writing them, but sometimes the reviewers torture the poor authoress. dodges tomatoes See what I mean? LOLz, later.

Sankontessou: Thanks for the compliments, but there are a lot of better sasu/saku fics. But I'm glad you think that!

Thanks for your reviews, they really bring my spirits up! Later!