Too Late

Chapter 3: Deeper Cut

By: Vampire Toy

PG-13 just in case

Disclaimer: No me own

Summary: Sasuke tries to talk to his old teammates after joining Orochimaru but finds that trying to reach them is going to be a little harder than it used to be and that he's not the only one who's changed.

"Talking"

:Sound effect:

(Inner most thoughts at the moment)

I looked at the front door for ten minutes before even thinking about knocking, but then decided sneaking in would be a better advantage for me, should she attack.

(Hnn, lets see)

I walked around her house to a window and peeked inside seeing a feminine room, I knew was Sakura's. It had a few articles of clothing here and there, her bed with a pink cover was right under the window, the door to the hall (I assumed) on the other side of the room, a closet on the left and right across from the bed, a dresser and a chair.

(So this is Sakura's room, a lot different from what I thought it'd be….) I tried the window latch and grinned when I found it unlocked.

(Sakura, you need to be more careful who knows what psycho's could break into your home?)

I lift it quietly; unsure of where in the house she was, and crawled in, closing it behind me and shaking off my guise so I looked like myself again.

My knees sunk into the bed's soft mattress and I hopped off lightly, taking a better look around her room. Her closet was closed so I turned to her dresser and walked over. A small wooden jewelry box, a ribbon, her headband, and two framed photos. I furrowed my brow curiously seeing the second photo faced down on the table; I gently lift it to see what it could be of.

Us; Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, and me. The picture we'd taken a long time ago when our team was first put together. I frowned when I noticed the glass from the frame was cracked and shattered.

(I wonder what you were thinking when you woke up and I was gone….most likely angry….but you didn't throw it away Sakura-chan…)

I sighed putting it down and glanced over at the other photo, a newer one. It had Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi around Christmas; the background being of the large tree that everyone in the village would decorate around the holidays, it sat right in the middle of Konoha, our oldest tree.

(They look just fine without you….so you should just leave now)

:Creak:

"Hmm…. What the-"

I spun around to see Sakura in the doorway.

(Shit)

Looks like the surprise factor isn't my advantage anymore…

She spun around, rubbed her temples, muttered something and spun back around, her eyes growing wider when she realized I wasn't going away.

"S-s-s…."

"Sakura-chan…."

There was an uncomfortable pause; I knew she was contemplating what exactly to do, and she made a decision a little more quickly than I thought she would.

"SASUKE YOU BASTARD!" She screeched grabbing kunai from her pouch and throwing them at me. I barely dodged them in my temporary shock as the kunai they pierced into the wall behind me.

"Sakura!"

"Sasuke! You know better than to be here! What do you want!" she threw more at me, then commenced to physically attack me, causing me to frantically dodge and jump out of her way.

(She's gotten a lot faster and stronger….her chakara is a lot more powerful than I remembered)

She grabbed the last of her kunai and flung them straight at my face and I narrowly missed them, one of the kunai's slitting my cheek.

"Sakura please!" the last kunai went into the old picture of our team that I'd put back up; it crashed to the floor, the entire frame shattered and the photo ripped where the kunai had cut it.

"What? What is it Sasuke-KUN?" She dove at me and I grabbed her by her shoulders at a pressure point, making her body thrashing wildly, trying to get lose and I only tightened my grip. Her crying was draining her energy and soon she couldn't fight anymore and her body began shaking in dark frustration as tears flood down her pretty face. She looked down, refusing to meet my gaze, twitching her shoulders slightly every now and then to see if I'd loosened my grip.

"Sakura…I'm not here to hurt you…"

She didn't say anything and bit her lip, closing her eyes tightly and letting more grief slide down her face.

"Sakura, please talk to me…"

Her head shot up and she gave me a cold glare; I was startled for a moment, she'd never given me a look so full of anger and sadness and my heart began hurting to see her like this.

"Sakura…I really need to talk to you…"

"About what?" she muttered.

I looked around at the mess we'd created in her room from the scuffle; I turned back to Sakura and sighed,

"Come on," I maneuvered her out the room, through the hall, and into the kitchen, sitting her down on a chair.

"Promise not to run or attack me."

"No guarantees."

"….Sakura please, I'll leave soon, I promise, just let me talk to you." (About what? You planned to come see her and talk to her, but what the hell are you planning to talk to her about!)

"Hmmpf."

(Good enough)

"Ok," I let go and stepped back to look at her as she sat angrily rubbing her arms.

"…Sorry, did I hurt you?" I asked trying to see her arms from my standpoint. She looked up and her tear-stained face softened wearily.

"Yes, you really hurt me Sasuke."

(……You know what she means….)

"I'm…sorry."

"It's a little late for that."

"Sakura, please, listen…..I had to do this…."

"Really?"

"Yes! Sakura, you should know why….you should know better than anyone else!"

"Because I was your number one fan."

My heart stung when she said that…..it only reminded me that I didn't deserve another chance. She was right not to want me here.

She closed her eyes again and lowered her head, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks again. I walked over cautiously and put a hand on her shoulder, startling her. She looked up at me sadly, most of her anger gone but replaced with heart-breaking misery.

"Sakura…that's not what I meant, you….really did mean a lot to me…..all of you did."

"As friends right? Of course you did Sasuke."

I sighed and knelt next to her. (What do I say now? I had years to sort out my feelings and I still haven't)

"Just tell me, did you ever like me? Just a little more than a friend?"

I blushed and covered my face with my hand, smiling.

(Did I ever like you as just a little more than friend? Not a little, a lot….)

"Forget it. You should probably leave….."

(No, no! I'm not leaving, you didn't give me enough time to answer…)

I felt her hand timidly take the one I had put over my face and pull it towards her.

"Oh so they ARE burns."

"What?"

(Oh, the fish burns) some of the burns were on the back of my hand too from where the boiling juices had splattered, but I didn't pay any attention till now.

"Where the hell did you get these?"

(Oh that's embarrassing…)

"I….er…"

"Maybe you got it…when you burned down someone's village." Her voice became cold and she let go of my hand.

"N-no…"

She stood up and walked out of the kitchen, I scampered after her like a puppy and found she was leading me to the front door. She pulled it open and stepped aside.

"Goodnight Sasuke."

"Wait, just…"

"Goodnight."

I sighed and put on my guise again, chuckling slightly when Sakura noticed she'd asked me the time when I was in this guise earlier.

"Goodnight Sakura-chan."

She shut the door immediately after I got out, almost knocking me off the steps that lead to her door. I paused a moment and heard soft crying start up again. I wanted so badly to turn around and go back, to comfort her and hold her. But I knew that'd be too much for her to handle tonight.

I sighed and slowly walked away, every step becoming harder. She seemed in so much pain when I showed up…did I just mess up her happy little photo? She couldn't forget me now, was that it?

My chest was hurting; my heart beating faster and constantly telling me to go back. As if I'd be able to make anything better by doing so.

(Just….remember….she said goodnight, not goodbye) that's right….so perhaps, I could come back.

(Not tonight of course, not even tomorrow) but soon…..

I paused when I got to the middle of the street, far away from her house.

Now what? I should probably visit Naruto….I'm not sure if Sakura would tell him I came for a visit. It might be better if I talk to him before he finds out from someone else….that was the case with Sakura.

(But look how she took it)

well, it's to be expected.

Vampire Toy: Hey, I'd be pissed too if my crush since the age of five left for years and years and never acknowledged me until years later when he was some evil bastard. Oo whelp, she couldn't really hurt him,not because she's weak, because now she's not, but I guess because maybe she kinda still loves him XD hahaha I'm evil, oh well, too bad she didn't kick his ass. XP whelp, more confusion, drama, angst, and romance to come! Be patient my little reviewers, be patient. Sorry that chapter really sucked, I'm trying hard to make it realistic as possible (hides from angry peoples who thought the chapter sucked) eh, R&R & Flames welcome.