Title: Bittersweet
Subtitle: Because of You
Song: Ayumi Hamasaki-Because of You
Rated: T
Genre: Romance/Angst
Summary: Sakura and Sasuke meet after the memorial service for the Uchiha clan.
Couple: SasuSaku
Dedicated to:Twinbells, PrincessChii, LightDreamer, aligrl, arandomreader, JCK, animEvivvErz, Springninja, liar-69, K a w a i i – S y a o r a n, pigeon, Gothbrat, Fuyumiko-sama, Tory, Black Pacific, iluvanime493, Ravenmon, and ellamoony
Disclaimer: Don't own anything

Queen Cow: Well…I have to apologize to you guys about this super late update…haha that rhymed…but anyways! Since this is so late I'm working on the third one-shot as we speak! But anyways this one-shot is a sequel to Holding Out For A Hero since you guys requested it! But as a little note…two years have passed since the last one-shot!


Rain showered down upon the village of Konohagakure. The village was gathered and holding a memorial service for a grand clan that fell within a single night.

A young girl was holding her mother's hand and searching for the face of her best friend. She spotted a boy with ebony colored hair, gasped, and ran towards him. Her pink hair was soon matted to her face and her clothes were soaked.

She ran to the boy and pulled him into a hug.

"Sasuke! I'm glad you're all right!"

"Sakura…"

Finally, Sasuke cracked, having his best friend here hugging him was all he could take, the tears fell from his eyes and he buried his face in her shoulder.

Parents looked at the Uchiha survivor with pity but as they gazed at the little girl holding him in her arms, they smiled and figured he would make it.

Sakura pulled the young eight-year-old out of her arms, though he struggled to stay in them, and lifted his chin, they're eyes met and all she could do was give him a small reassuring smile. She knew what was going on in his mind and she knew that he was blaming himself.

Me to me ate soshite kotoba wo kawashita
Mune ga takanatte egao de kakushita
Kimi wo shiranakatta koro ni modorenaku narisou de

Our eyes met and we exchanged words
I hid the excitement in my heart with a smile
Don't think I'll ever be able to go back to a time when I didn't know you


Sakura made eye contact with her mother and smiled, her mother nodded, with tears in her eyes and went to walk home. Before they had left for the ceremony, Sakura had asked her mother if she could stay with Sasuke and she'd go home later and her mother agreed.

"Sasuke you're going to get sick, we should have you change out of your clothes", Sakura murmured. "Where are you staying?"

Sasuke just looked at her with saddened eyes and pulled her hand, leading her back to the Uchiha compound.

The wind started to pick up and that's when he heard it, the quiet sniffling. It was winter, her best friend's family is dead, and she felt that the only thing she could do was cry.

Kaze ga mou tsumetaku natta ne
Waragoe ga shiroku nijimu
Wake mo naku naketekuru no ha
Fuyu no sei kamoshirenai

The wind's gotten so cold
The laughter fades into the white
The reason I can cry without a rearson
Is probably 'cause of the winter


Sasuke looked at the girl and as their eyes met they both remembered the day they met.

FLASH

A little girl was sitting in a corner curled in a ball and she was crying quietly to herself.

FLASH

A boy approached the girl.

FLASH

Sasuke looked at her and pulled her into a gentle hug, "You don't have to wait, I'm here and I'm strong and I know what to do."

Sakura raised her head and smiled at him she remembered the first time he spoke to her he had said, "Hold on, let me get my big brother! He's really strong and he'll know what to do!"

Deatta yoru wo
Ima demo oboeteru

I still, now, remember the night we met

Me to me ate soshite kotoba wo kawashita
Mune ga takanatte egao de kakushita
Kimiwo shiranakatta koro ni modorenaku narisou de

Our eyes met and we exchanged words
I hid the excitement in my heart with a smile
Don't think I'll ever be able to go back to a time when I didn't know you


"Come on Sakura, you're going to get sick, we should have you change out of your clothes."

As they arrived at their destination Sakura looked around and noticed that most of the houses had been repaired.

"Sasuke…they're letting you live here? Don't you want to live with someone? You can stay with me! Don't the ANBU have to research and find out who…did this?" Sakura fired questions at Sasuke.

Sakura's questions caused Sasuke to snap. The eight year old boy grabbed Sakura by the arm and forced her to look him in the eye. Sakura let out a squeak from the force of Sasuke's actions.

"They know who killed my clan! I know who killed my clan! You know who it was! It was my own brother! My blood-related brother slaughtered them! All to test his capacity! He let me live! I should've died with them! He let me live because I'm weak! He let me live because I wasn't worth killing!" Sasuke shouted brutally at the young girl.

Sakura whimpered, yet she could understand that he needed to scream out his frustration. He needed her to understand. She was the thing that kept him sane and he needed her to understand that.

Sukoshizutsu shitteiku no ni
Kyuu ni zenbu wakaranaku naru

Even though I'm slowly getting to know you
Suddenly I don't know anything at all

Sakende mo ii
Tsutawaru made tsutaete

Scream out
Keep trying until I understand


Sasuke walked into the house and slammed the door shut. Sakura should've gone home, but she was concerned about Sasuke so she sat down and leaned against the door waiting for the boy.

Sakura was hurt that she couldn't speak to her friend but, it all takes time. They were friends, they probably had a better relationship than Sakura had with Ino! She knew that she had to give him time, because she knew him better than anyone else.

Aenai jikan ni omoi ga tsunotta
Todokanai koe ni kokoro ga itanda
Kimi wo shiranakatta koro ni modorenaku natteiru

My feelings grow in the hours we can't see each other
It hurts not to be able to speak to you
I can't go back to a time I didn't know you


Twenty minutes passed, and as the clock ticked on, Sasuke started to feel guilty. He stepped outside of his house to walk to Sakura's house and apologize but he looked down and saw the small girl curled in a ball trying to keep warm.

"Sa…SAKURA!"

Sasuke's eyes widened after realizing the girl had been outside in a storm for twenty minutes. He quickly picked the girl up and brought her into his house. He set her on the couch and ran to get her a towel.

Running back to the living room Sasuke saw Sakura and quickly dried her hair. He turned the heater on and walked to the kitchen to make hot chocolate.

Sakura awoke to a warm room, which smelled like hot chocolate. She sat up from the couch and took in her surroundings. She could never forget the house she was in. It was like her second home.

The Uchiha compound was a second home for her. Sakura had a bed and she shared Sasuke's bed room. She also had clothes that she left at the house. Sakura was always welcomed with open arms and this was no exception. Sasuke walked in the room holding Sakura's clothes.

Sasuke had changed from his wet black yukata to a dark black shirt with the Uchiha crest on the back and black pants.

Sakura walked to Sasuke to grab her clothes. She gazed at him staring in to his eyes as if searching for something. She opened her mouth to speak but as she noticed the glint of sadness in his eyes as he smiled, she closed her mouth and pulled him into a tight hug.

"What can I do for you Sasuke? How can I help you?"

Sasuke was fragile. He hugged her back tightly, never wanting to let go.

Douka sonna fuu ni
Kanashige na hitomi de
Kowaresou ni kiesou ni warawanai de
Nee boku ni ha nani ga dekiru

Please don't smile with such sad eyes
Fragile and fleeting
Tell me, what can I do for you


Quickly changing into a red turtle neck, which bared the Haruno family crest, and black sweat pants with socks, Sakura rushed back out to the kitchen to check on Sasuke. His eyes, they were still the endless pools of ebony but they didn't hold the happiness in them anymore. His eyes reflected hatred, darkness, despair, and a confused regret.

Crying out Sakura latched herself onto Sasuke as he stood still. Sasuke stared down at the girl attached to him and sighed.

"Sasuke what's happened? You're different. I know you. I know you better than anyone else, and…" Sakura's sobs racked her body and ceased her rambling.

Aenai jikan ni omoi ga tsunotta
Todokanai koe ni kokoro ga itanda
Kimi wo shiranakatta koro ni modorenaku natteiru

My feelings grow in the hours we can't see each other
It hurts not to be able to speak to you
I can't go back to a time I didn't know you


Sasuke carried Sakura to the couch and laid her down. He was going to retrieve the hot chocolate he had made earlier but before he could walk away a small hand clutch his shirt sleeve.

Sasuke glanced at the girl lying down and wished with all his heart that this was a dream and he could tell her that he was still happy, that he loved her, that she was his best friend, that his older brother was his idol, that he had a mother, and that he had a father who was proud of him.

As Sasuke gripped the hand that held so tightly to his sleeve, he clenched the hand tightly in his causing Sakura to gasp in pain and stare at him with hurting eyes. He was hurting her, he knew he was, but she was hurting him too. She had to understand that he couldn't be happy. He was now an avenger and he couldn't let anyone close to him. He knew that it'd be hard to let her go but he also knew that he would never truly let go of her.

Doushite tokidoki sunao ni ienai
Doushite tokidoki yasashiku narenai

Why can't I say how I feel sometimes
Why can't I just be easy sometimes

Doushite tokidoki kizutsukeatteru
Doushite tokidoki tashikameatteru

Why do we sometimes hurt one another
Why do we sometimes feel out each other


"Don't leave me. At least wait until tomorrow. Sasuke…"

Sighing, Sasuke went to lay beside the fragile girl and wrapped his arms around her. She gave a small smile and snuggled into the boy. Sakura quickly fell asleep with the feeling of security with her best friend's arms around her.

Sasuke stared down at the girl and couldn't help but let a tear fall. She was someone who would forever hold a place in his heart. Simply because she was the only one who was able to engrave herself into his heart with a permanent position.

Sasuke's thoughts about Sakura soon started to fade away as he fell into a light slumber.

Doushite tokidoki konna ni kurushii
Doushite itsudemo konna ni itoshii
Kimi jyanakya dame de
Kimi jyanakya dame de

Why does it sometimes hurt this badly
Why are you always this dear to me
You're the only one for me
You're the only one for me


The smell of pancakes and eggs was fresh and Sasuke stirred awake as he smelt the food. He looked in his arms and noticed no one was there. Bolting up he looked around and saw on the coffee table that there was a plate of food and a note. Picking up the note he read:

Uchiha-san,
Thank you for letting me stay last night. I appreciate your hospitality because I doubt I would make it home in that stormy weather! Thanks a bunch Sasuke-kun!

Love,
Your number one fangirl
Sakura Haruno

As Sasuke reread the note he felt his heart clench tightly but he was grateful. Grateful that the girl would always understand him. Him and what he needed to do and fulfill. And for the last time, Sasuke let silent tears fall down his face. Tears that showed he was letting her go.

Queen Cow: Well I must say…that was depressing…but there WAS the SasuSakuness right guys? Well…R&R please! Reviews, flames, constructive criticism, etc. anything is appreciated! Thanks for reading!