Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

A/N: Hi guys! I want to again thank all of the reviewers who are reading and reviewing my fic! I also want to explain a little about this chapter. It gets confusing but most of it is again flashbacks, I hope no one minds…Anyway, when a flashback or memory is over I'll say something, so just assume that it's one. It's really necessary for the story…I'm really sorry about the inconvenience, I'll try harder next time! Enjoy!

Autumn Leaves

Chapter 3: The Journey to You

"I hope you're making the right decision, Sasuke-kun."

"Hmph."

Sasuke closed the door to Tsunade's office, and stood outside for a moment, thinking. He slid his hands in his pocket out of habit and walked to the exit, slightly frowning.

"I need your permission to leave Konoha for a while."

"Huh?!?"

The Hokage looked dumbfounded.

"But you've already got your revenge already!" Tsunade yelled rising from her seat, slightly angry. She wasn't going to risk him being a missing nin again. Besides, Sasuke was one of the best rookie ANBU there was; he and his Sharingan were important assets to Konoha.

"I've got another reason." Sasuke said calmly.

"What is it?!?" She said as she pounded her fist on her desk.

"…"

"Look, if you're not going to tell me your reason, I'm not going to tell you my answer." Tsunade managed to calm down a bit. She sat back down in her seat and stared intently at Sasuke.

"I'm going to look for someone." Sasuke said, his eyes intently fixed on Tsunade's.

Tsunade's face softened drastically.

"Let me guess, Sakura?"

Sasuke nodded.

"I don't know if that's a good idea…besides…" Tsunade said, her face full of stress. She walked towards the window and stared outside. "Sakura-chan left for a reason…and she would've come back if she needed to."

Even though Sasuke already knew this, he knew he still had to find her and bring her back.

"With or without your permission, I'm going to go."

Tsunade turned around and sighed.

"Is there anything I can do to stop you?"

"No."

Sasuke was fast and firm on his reply. Tsunade sighed again.

"Alright then…I do miss Sakura-chan so much…I might as well help you."

Tsunade went to her desk and took out a small scroll and thrust it in front of Sasuke.

"I'm giving you permission to get out of Konoha. Show it to any Leaf Shinobi and they will not attack you."

"Hn."

Sasuke turned to leave but stopped.

"Sasuke…be careful. Sakura might not be the same person she used to be."

Sasuke froze for a moment. Then he walked towards the door muttering a "Aa."

Sasuke unlocked the door to his apartment. He walked into the cold empty room. It contained only the essential items a human would need. A sofa, futon, closet, etc. It sucked the life out of a person.

He reached for his black bag pack and stuffed necessary materials into it. He was going to leave right away. He reached for his ANBU mask on top of his desk when he saw a photo inside of a frame. This was the only thing that stood out from his room. This object had vivid colors and had life to it.

Sasuke gently reached for the photo and looked into it. It was of him and Sakura. She was clinging to his arm and he was blushing a bit. He was a bit surprised when the picture had come out. Those kids, Konohamaru and his friends, had to take a picture of Team 7 one day, but Sakura and he were the first ones to arrive at the bridge. So they decided to just take pictures of him and Sakura. He was also a bit surprised when he had actually agreed on taking the pictures. He smirked a bit and packed the photo into his back pack gently. Then he headed out the door.

"Why did you tell him, Kakashi-sensei?!!?"

"…"

"Now he's going to look for her!!"

"Naruto." Kakashi finally looked directly at him, the look on his face was unreadable. "Sasuke had a right to know."

They stood in Kakashi's large room that was right next to the rock garden the time Sasuke had come.

"Kakashi-sensei, you know what happened to Sakura-chan, and yet you still told him."

"I know how you feel Naruto, but it's not of your concern anymore. Sakura and Sasuke may be your friends, but they have their own problems that they themselves need to take care of."

"…" Naruto looked hurt, and looked down at his clenched fists.

"Don't worry Naruto…Sasuke's changed. He'll make sure that everything's fine." Kakashi said smiling under his mask as he stared at Sasuke with Sakura in the picture frame.

'Sakura…'

Sasuke walked through the busy streets of Konoha. People were moving in and out of markets carrying groceries or other sorts of items. It was crowded everywhere; there was no place to breathe a breath of fresh air here. '

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke turned slowly towards the direction of the voice. He saw Ino inside her shop and he realized that he was just outside of it. She was one of the millions of fan girls that Sasuke had, but her fangirlism stopped when Sasuke fell in love with Sakura. Now she was with that Shikamaru guy.

She ran out of her flower shop, Shikamaru following right behind her, lazily.

Ino stared at his bag pack, the same one he used when he left for Itachi.

"Are you going somewhere far, Sasuke-kun?"

The suffix that she added was merely out of habit.

"Aa."

The three of them stood silent for a moment. Ino nervous, Shikamaru with a stern looking face, and Sasuke with a bored one.

"Sasuke-kun…can we talk?"

"…"

"It's about Sakura."

"…hn."

Ino flipped over the sign so that it would say that the Yamanaka Flower Shop was closed. They sat around on the sofa and Shikamaru came in with a tray of teacups. Meanwhile Sasuke sat there, waiting for something to happen.

They all eventually sat down on the sofas, Shikamaru and Ino on one and Sasuke on the other.

"What did you want to ask me about Sakura?"

His voice was cold and emotionless, going right to the point.

'Oi, Uchiha…you are too troublesome.'

"S-Sasuke-kun…are you going to look for S-Sakura?"

"…"

"Answer me."

"…yes."

"I-If you find her…can you give this to her?"

Ino took out an envelope from her pouch and handed it to Sasuke who took it.

'I miss you, Sakura…Forehead girl…my rival…my friend…'

I still remember that day, Sakura, even if it was five years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday.

I ran away because Shikamaru confessed to me that he liked me. I was confused. I liked Sasuke-kun. Shikamaru was a friend, a brother, perhaps…so I ran away to the forest. I could still here Shikamaru's voice calling after me.

But I also remember those rogue ninjas…they were disgusting, but most of all they were scary. I was trying so hard to run away and fight them at the same time…they were too strong for me.

But then you came, Sakura. I supposed that Shikamaru had told you what had happened and you came here as fast as you can…but the emotion that I felt when you did shocked me. I was actually relieved. I don't know why…I mean…that time, I thought, no, I knew you were weak…what can you do to defeat a gang of rogue ninjas?

But maybe, I also had another feeling inside, a more warm and comforting one. This feeling told me that you, Sakura, my best friend, would do anything to protect me. Our friendship existed in a beautiful form.

You ran to my side, Sakura, and you kept asking me if I was okay…but you also said something else…something showed me how much our friendship meant to you.

"Ino…I realized that you can't sacrifice one love for another."

I smiled. I told you I was fine and kept asking you what you were doing here. I was worried about you too, Forehead Girl…How could I not be, we were like sisters. But your next act surprised me. You stood with courage before me, a defiant look in your eyes…one that I never saw before. I got worried when you went in your battle stance.

You kept fighting, Sakura…all those times you were hurt, you came back up…and fought them over and over again. You proved to me that I was wrong, that you were not the weak one…

I was.

When the very last ninja was on the ground, you were panting heavily, your arms and legs bleeding heavily, your face covered with dirt and sweat…but your eyes…they surprised me…they were twinkling. You came towards me, asking me if I was alright, while I just sat on the ground, dumbfounded.

I heard noises coming, the sound of footsteps crunching in the leaves. You were tired, and you almost collapsed…when someone caught you. I was surprised, yes, more surprised then angry. You were in Sasuke-kun's arms, what I've dreamed of for eternity. He looked at you with gentle eyes filled with worry, which I sought for. Shikamaru eventually came to help me up but I refused his help, the emotion of anger and jealousy overwhelmed me.

I remember yelling at you, telling you that you just wanted to show off how close you and Sasuke-kun were. But while I was screaming those hurtful words, I saw the little Sakura in you. The one that was easily hurt with words. I couldn't stand it…so I ran away again. I was worried also, because you fainted as I ran away. But in my heart, I knew it wasn't because of the scars that you had, it wasn't because of all of the blood you shed for me…it was because of my words to you. They were more painful then anything you endured during your battle before.

You finally managed to win a date with Sasuke-kun. But instead you threw it away like old trash and came to fight for me. Sasuke-kun knew that something must've happened to you if you were to not show up.

But I still remember those eyes Sasuke-kun gave you, Sakura. I realized that they were the same as Shikamaru's…You made me realize how much he cared for me…You gave me the two greatest gifts that day, Sakura…

Your friendship and Shikamaru's love.

"Oi, Ino…snap out of it."

Ino jerked from her trance and looked up to see Shikamaru standing and looking down at her.

"Huh?"

"Uchiha is about to leave."

Ino looked to see Sasuke standing in front of her door, with a bored face, the envelope clutched in one hand.

"Oh! Sasuke-kun…"

Ino stood a distance away from him, looking at those intense onyx eyes.

"When you meet her, can you tell her something for me?"

"Aa…"

"T-Tell her…" Ino looked down at the ground, her azure eyes getting blurry with tears. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and realized that Shikamaru was smiling his lazy grin at her.

"Tell her I said…"

"Ino…I realized that you can't sacrifice one love for another."

"Thank you."

A/N: I'm also really sorry for any Ino-fans out there if this is like character-bashing. In the flashback, I just want to show readers how the two girls developed mentally and in personality. Sakura has changed, her feelings for Sasuke were more secluded, and therefore Sasuke was more attracted to her. My main point was to show how Sakura was developing because she and Ino are really dynamic characters in the story whereas Sasuke is very static. I also wanted to show that like in Naruto and Sasuke, in Sakura and Ino, no matter how much they rivaled each other, their friendship was very important. You also saw that Sasuke and Sakura's relationship had gotten much closer, and that was because as the manga and anime goes along, Sakura develops into a more mature young woman. Therefore I made Sasuke develop so that he wouldn't lack as much emotion as he does in the series. Anyway, thanks for reading!