When Sakura woke up from her terrible sleep the next morning, she was filled with a feeling of dread. She didn't want to face the day and all the uncertainty it promised, so she took a shower and cleaned herself up slowly. Sasuke, on the other hand, slept soundly as if he hadn't slept in days.

Waking him was not something Sakura wanted to do. When his face was relaxed, he looked uncharacteristically peaceful and trusting. However, Sakura knew he had to get his pills in the morning. She sat on the side of the bed.

"Sasuke," she whispered as she shook his shoulder gently.

His eyes squinted and opened momentarily. Then he winced in pain and buried his face in the pillow again.

"You need to take your medicine," she said as she reached for the pills. Sasuke reluctantly turned face up again and tried to sit up. It took him a lot of effort.

"I need to get out of here," he said as he clutched his injured arm, noticing his surroundings.

"You can barely move," Sakura pointed out.

"You shouldn't have helped me. You're going to get in trouble, and I'm going to get myself killed."

"Not if we're careful." Her certain tone convinced even herself and gave her more confidence. "You should have a little chakra now; you can transform into someone else while we're outside. No one will know." She pushed the pills his way and he finally took them.

"Can you stand up?" She asked as she stood up and pulled back the covers.

Sasuke slowly shifted his legs over the edge of the bed. Sakura bent down, putting one hand on his waist and another on his shoulder. She supported him into a standing position, but his body was heavy.

"I can do it," he said as he let go of her. He spoke the words assertively but he knew it would be a challenge to even stand on his own. He stumbled slightly when she did, but managed to regain his balance.

"Where's the bathroom?"

Sakura stood up and went to her dresser, pulling out the old clothes that he had given her before. She offered them to him. His face gave a look of surprise. It reminded him of their last meeting at his place in the forest. He hadn't expected her to keep them all this time.

"Turn right," she said.

He hesitated before he left. "Do you have something you need to do today?"

"We don't have missions the day after the festival. But---"Sakura paused. "I always go to the memorial in the morning."

"You can go, I'll be fine here," Sasuke responded.

Sakura searched his face for any hint of sadness or understanding, but there was none.

He still doesn't know...

"Okay," she said quietly, starting to turn away. Then she stopped. Before she knew what she was getting herself into, she said, "I wanted you to come with me."

Sasuke, who was heading out the door at a sluggish pace, paused and looked back at her. "Why?"

Sakura leaned back on her dresser for strength. "Because," she said weakly, looking into his cold eyes. "It's someone we both knew."

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. She had his attention now. "What do you mean?"

Sakura took a deep breath and her gaze fell to the floor. For a minute she couldn't speak. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated, wondering what his reaction would be. She could still keep it a secret; she didn't have to say it.

Sasuke grew impatient. "Who are you talking about?"

Sakura wanted him to know, but she wondered if he would care. But then, she told herself, if he didn't, it would be easier for her to think of him as a stranger and let him go when he finally left for good. Maybe it would be for the better...

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said in a barely audible whisper.

The silence that followed betrayed his shock. There was a long pause before Sakura lifted her gaze back onto his face.

His eyes were closed. When they opened again, he lowered his head. Sasuke turned around and started limping slowly toward the bathroom.

Sakura felt weak from the revelation and for a moment didn't know what to make of his reaction.

Suddenly she heard his voice.

"Give me 10 minutes."

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The streets were deserted and full of signs of the festivities of the previous night. After much effort and with Sakura's help, Sasuke managed to clasp his hands together in a seal and transform into the jounin guard he incapacitated.

To avoid being seen, Sakura held his body again with its strange new proportions and leapt to the rooftops, supporting him on their way to the shinobi memorial.

When they finally arrived, Sasuke pushed her hands gently and she released them from his body. He steadied himself while staring at the memorial without a word. Then, Sakura observed him hobbling toward the rock with one hand grabbing his arm, which looked perfectly healthy in his transformed state.

It was difficult to for her to watch him; Sakura wanted nothing more than to see his true form but knew that that would be too dangerous.

With some effort, Sasuke walked right up to the monument and traced his fingers across the many names. They were all honored by Konoha as shinobi who had given their life in the line of duty. He realized then that when he died, his name would not be carved on this plaque. His death, when it came, would be a secret, scribbled in some report and locked up in a file. Perhaps some people would feel relief, but no one would miss him.

Most of the names were foreign to him, but eventually he passed the one that stung his fingers. He withdrew them suddenly and looked intently at the carving.

Hatake Kakashi.

For a minute he just stared at the name. It was just another scratch in the marble. A scratch. That was supposed to justify a life sacrificed for the village. That was supposed to make it all right.

Slowly, Sasuke bent his body into a kneeling position, using his hands as support.

He couldn't describe the feeling in his stomach as he lowered his head in a low bow. He hadn't thought of his old sensei in years. On his journeys he'd always use the chidori, but he never once thought about the person who had taught it to him. Maybe it was because if he did, he would feel guilty, as if he had failed his teacher somehow. Kakashi had hoped this technique would help his student protect those who were important to him; instead, Sasuke had used it for his own selfish, murderous purposes.

Sasuke knew as a good shinobi he couldn't let any emotional attachment hinder his path. But just this once, he felt compelled to pay his respects. It was easier in someone else's body.

After a soft sigh, he supported himself back up to the standing position.

A few moments later, he heard the rustling of grass.

Someone's hand slid down his forearm to hold his, and he didn't withdraw.

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The remainder of the day Sasuke spent bedridden in Sakura's apartment while she went out, trying to keep a normal façade. He had a good long while to think about the last few days. The pain of his injury had been unbearable, but now he felt his strength slowly returning. At this rate, he could try to get out of Konoha in two days time. Although it was boring to stay in the apartment, he didn't want to walk the same streets as he did as a child, even when disguised as a different person. It was too uncomfortable and he definitely did not want to confront any past acquaintances.

He took the pills every few hours according to Sakura's directions and studied his wound carefully. With some effort, he could walk, but his right hand still wouldn't budge on its own.

Sasuke didn't snoop in her things while she was gone, but as he was wandering around one photograph on her dresser caught his attention. When he picked it up, he noted with a frown how young they all looked. Sasuke was wearing his old blue and white outfit and standing on Sakura's right with a serious expression. A young blonde kid was glaring at him. Sakura's face was turned into a delightful squeal while their sensei stood in the back with his arm around all of them.

It was so long ago.

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When Sakura got back in the evening, she looked tired. She held something in a bag and placed it on the nightstand. It smelled like ramen.

Sasuke sat up slowly and thought he should say something.

"How was your day." It was more of a statement than a question.

Sakura sighed as she took off her jacket and hung it in the closet. She said, "It was alright. I went to check on some friends. I kept Naruto company. He was throwing up all morning. I don't think he remembered a single thing he did last night, which might be a good thing..."

Sasuke flinched at hearing his old teammate's name and tried not to wonder what kind of person Naruto had become.

Sakura walked towards him and sat by his side again.

"You haven't eaten."

Sakura reached in the plastic bag, revealing two containers of ramen with soup. She opened one of them and snapped the chopsticks. After gently swishing the noodles around, she raised the chopsticks and blew on them lightly.

"Careful, it's hot," she said as she held up the food for him.

"Sakura..." Sasuke studied her. She seemed to move by instinct, like she did this everyday. He suddenly realized that if it weren't for her, he'd still be collapsed on the floor in the basement. Either that or captured, tortured, or dead...

They way he looked her made her blush slightly.

"Come on," she said softly.

Sasuke hesitated. "Sakura, one of my hands works. You don't have to feed me."

"You might spill it. It's okay, just eat it." Sakura tried to ignore the soreness growing in her arms.

Sasuke reluctantly took a bite. Actually, he found himself rather hungry, and in a few minutes, he easily finished the rest of the ramen.

"What about you?" he asked, noting the other container.

Sakura capped the empty ramen cup and said with a slight smile, "I'll go to the kitchen." She didn't really want to eat with him staring at her like that.

"When I'm finished I'll come back and change your bandages."

She stole a glance at him before exiting slowly out of the room.

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As Sakura was midway through her dinner and poking at her ramen in the kitchen, she heard the doorbell ring followed by irregular pounding on the door. A jolt of shock ran up her spine.

Who can it be at this hour...

Sakura put down her chopsticks. Straightening up, she walked slowly to answer the door, expecting to give an excuse that would make whoever it was leave her alone for the night.

As she opened it, she was surprised by a weight that collapsed on top of her. Sakura crumbled but tried to straighten up and get a look at the person in her arms.

"Lee-kun?"

"Lee-kun!" she cried again, "What's wrong with you!?" Sakura dragged his body inside and kicked the door closed. She eased him onto the couch.

"What's wrong with you?" She repeated. Sakura tried steadying his face in her hands and looking into it. With a sharp pain, she noticed his round eyes were half closed and there was the bitter scent of alcohol in his breath.

"Saa....Sakura-ssan..."

"Lee-kun...you weren't drinking...were you?" The answer was obvious.

"Sakura-ssan..." Lee swallowed hard and his body swayed, "I'm ssorrry...so...sorry. Pleasse..."

"What? Sorry for what, Lee? You didn't do anything wrong!" Sakura tried to get him to lie down on the couch.

She tried to calm her nerves as his body rested against her couch. There were two men in her apartment, neither of them who were supposed to be there nor in the condition to leave.

"Let me get you some coffee," Sakura said as she started to get up.

"No...no, don't leave me," Lee pleaded as he held on to her wrist.

Sakura sat down again, looking empathetically at his inebriated body.

"Lee...what happened?" she asked gently.

"I don't want you to leave me again...I never want you to leave me again...Never..." His grip tightened on her wrist.

Sakura felt her body get heavier. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp in vain.

"Lee-kun..."

"Please stay with me, Sssakura-san."

He finally let her wrist go and Sakura rubbed it in pain. She knew Lee would never hurt her on purpose. He wasn't in control of his body or his emotions in this state.

Sakura sighed. "It's okay, Lee. I'm here."

"Pleeeasse..." Lee drifted off, staring at her with glazed eyes.

Sakura nodded her head sadly. She got up and lifted his legs onto the couch. Then she sat down on the floor leaning her weight against them.

"I'm not going anywhere."

As she watched him fall asleep slowly, Sakura wondered what to do. She wanted to stay with Lee, but she knew Sasuke's bandages had to be changed and she still had to heal him with her chakra.

Studying his closed eyes and heavy breathing, Sakura decided it was safe to check up on Sasuke in the bedroom. She stood up slowly, sensitive to any change in Lee's expression. There was none.

Quickly and softly, she jogged to the bedroom. It was dark and Sakura could only see Sasuke's shadow.

Closing the bedroom door behind her, she walked toward the bed.

She heard his voice whisper, "Who is it?"

"A friend."

"What does he want?"

Sakura hesitated. "He just wanted to see me. It's okay. He's asleep. I'm going to use my chakra to heal you now." She switched on a small lamp. She climbed on the bed on top of him, resuming the position she was in last night. This time the thrill was smaller as the danger of the situation was heightened.

"Are you ready," she whispered.

"Yes."

Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated her chakra over his chest again. Now that she knew what she was getting into, she dreaded the feeling of total exhaustion she'd experience when she was through.

After a few minutes, Sakura completed the session and felt her body fall forward in exhaustion. She turned her body last minute to prevent herself from collapsing on top of Sasuke.

After she sunk into the mattress, she lay on the bed completely still, breathing heavily. For a minute they were silent.

Suddenly she heard Sasuke speak. "What was that noise..." he hissed.

"What noise..." Sakura said breathlessly. Her sweating body was pressed against the bed; she could barely move. She hadn't heard anything.

"That!" he whispered harshly. Sasuke sat up and summoned a surge of energy to stand. He took out a kunai from Sakura's holster by the bed with his left hand. His body was still in pain, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Before Sakura could answer, she felt a chill run up her spine as she heard the door open slowly. She watched helplessly as she saw Lee's unstable figure stagger into her bedroom.

"Sssakura...san..." His eyes were still half closed, but Sakura saw them widen when his gaze met Sasuke's cold, piercing stare.