Fallen Petals
by Diana-san

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 10

Sunlight filled the room and a pleasant aroma surrounded Sakura. She smiled, unaware of the fact that someone was hovering over her. Sakura's mind was off in dreamland and she was happy and content. She snuggled deeper into the soft blankets.

'Wait a minute…blankets?'

She cracked open one eye and scanned around the room. It was definitely not her house or her hospital room. She turned over to her side and screamed. Startled, Sasuke stepped back and almost tripped but caught himself before he did. The tray of food he was carrying slipped out of his hands and flew high into the air. Sakura yelped as the tray headed for her. The tea kettle started to flip over and tea started to come out through the spout. Sasuke leaped forward and grabbed the tray and placed it on top of Sakura's head so that the tea splashed onto the tray instead of her hair and clothes. Sakura watched the tea drip off from the tray and Sasuke's wet face peering at her.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura nodded. She looked down and saw that she was still wearing her kimono. She sighed in relief. 'Thank goodness the tea didn't spill on the dress.'

She averted her gaze from her kimono to Sasuke. His dark raven locks were now soaked in tea. Sakura giggled at the sight of his messy hair. Sasuke got a towel and tried to dry off his hair. "What's so funny?" he asked as he sat down on the bed.

Sakura grinned. "Nothing, just that you looked hilarious when your hair got soaked in tea."

Sasuke frowned. "Fine, then the next time something comes flying at you, I'll just stand to the side and watch you get hit."

Sakura merely giggled. "Tough words but even your heart can't truly believe you would let me get squash."

Sasuke smirked. "Just wait and see."

Sakura stuck out her tongue. "Yea, whatever. But if I die, it will be on your conscience." Sakura grabbed the towel on Sasuke's head. "Rubbing it like that will only make it worse. Let me help you," Sakura said, her emerald green eyes twinkling.

"Hn." Sasuke looked away as if embarrassed by Sakura's kind gesture. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. "Is that the response I get after I agreed to help you out?"

"It was your fault in the first place," Sasuke retorted.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she got off the bed. "And how so, Mr. I-Am-Always-Right?"

"You screamed. I reacted to it. So, it was your fault," Sasuke said simply.

Sakura laughed. "Whatever. So, where's your bathroom?"

"Down the hall. Turn left," Sasuke instructed the pink haired girl. Sasuke was about to stand up but Sakura pushed him back down on the bed. "Don't worry. I can find it myself."

Sakura walked out the room and went down the hall as instructed. She made a turn left and found herself right in front of the bathroom. She went in and found a small basin and turned on the faucet. The water came gushing out and flowed directly into the basin. After she was satisfied with the amount of water she got, she quickly turned off the faucet. She walked back to the room and found Sasuke lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

'He looks so peaceful.' Sakura thought to herself silently.

Sakura walked over and sat down in a chair beside the bed. "Wake up!" she shouted cheerfully.

Sasuke opened one eye and looked up into Sakura's face. "What?"

Sakura motioned for Sasuke to get up. Reluctantly, he got up slowly. Sakura dipped the white towel into the basin of water and brought it back up. She wringed it so that the excess water fell back into the basin. Then, she tossed it over Sasuke's head.

Sasuke folded his arms and sat there motionless. Sakura then began to rubbed the towel on his head while humming to herself. Finally, after a few minutes, she removed the towel from Sasuke's head. Sasuke, who had been resting his eyes during that whole time, slowly opened one eye.

"Ok, you're clean now," Sakura said with a smile.

Sasuke just made his usual 'hn' as his response.

The pink haired kunoichi smiled as she stared up at the ceiling. "By the way, how did I end up in your house anyway?"

"You fell asleep again."

Sakura's face turned a bright shade of pink. "In front of people?" Sakura gasped.

"Do you have short term memory or what? You fell asleep on the way home."

"Then why didn't you wake me up?" Sakura asked.

"The last time someone woke you up, he got punched," Sasuke replied coolly.

Sakura laughed nervously. "But… that was because it was Naruto."

"Ah," Sasuke replied in agreement.

Sakura hugged her knees close to her and then realized something. "My doll!"

"Your what?"

"The doll!" Sakura said frantically. "The one that you won for me! I had it with me when we left the festival and-"

Sakura broke off as she frantically searched around the bed for the little doll. Sakura pushed aside some pillows and underneath one of the pillow laid a partially squished doll. Sakura squealed in delight and hugged her doll. "Thank goodness! I'm so glad I found you!"

Sasuke blushed faintly at the sight of Sakura hugging the doll. 'I should have destroyed that doll when I had the chance. That idiot Naruto just had to say something about it.'

Sakura stopped hugging the doll long enough to realize another thing. "Eh, Sasuke. Are you hungry?"

The raven haired boy looked up at Sakura, his thoughts interrupted. He said nothing but his stomach growled in hunger.

Sakura giggled. "Fine, you don't have to admit it. I'll just take your stomach's words for it."

Sasuke looked away. "Hn."

The pink haired girl stood up from the bed and hopped down. "I'll make you breakfast since you let me stay here for the night and that way we would be even."

Sasuke stood up and walked to the door. "Fine, just don't poison me with your food. Make something edible at least."

He stepped out and closed the door before the pillow that Sakura threw could hit him.

'Shannaro! Why do you have to be such a jerk?! Just when I thought you were becoming nice too!'

Sakura stormed out the room, ready to give Sasuke a nice punch to the face. She searched the main family room and around the kitchen but couldn't find him. 'Now where did he go?'

Sakura decided to check outside and opened the front door. She was surprised to come face to face with another person.

"Eh? Shizune-san?" Sakura exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Sakura-san! I was just about to ask the same thing!" Shizune said.

"Me? Oh nothing."

"Oh, do you already know about your duties here for Sasuke-kun?" Shizune asked.

Sakura looked blankly at Shizune. "Duties?" she echoed.

Shizune smiled and nodded. Sakura frowned. "What duties?" she asked.

"That you would be taking care of Sasuke-kun for the time being until he recov-"

Sakura looked shocked by the news. "What?! I never agreed to such a thing!"

"But Tsunade-sama said that you happily accepted the job…"

Sakura's eyes narrowed in frustration. "When did I ever-?"

"If I let Sasuke go then you have to promise me that you will be his assigned medic when he gets out of the hospital."

"I promised that, didn't I?" Sakura said absent-mindedly to herself.

Shizune looked at Sakura with a confused look. "Sakura-san…"

The pink haired kunoichi closed her eyes and strolled out the door. 'I need to talk this over with Tsunade-sama.'

Shizune looked on after Sakura who was headed towards the Hokage's office. 'Sakura-san seems to be lost in thought. She's going to walk into a pole soon.'

Shizune sighed and stepped inside the Uchiha mansion. She closed the door behind her and it slammed shut leaving her with an eerie feeling running up and down her spine. She shivered. 'I can't believe this was where the Uchiha clan was massacred.'

A shadowy figure emerged from the shadows in the hallway. His obsidian eyes bore into Shizune's as if observing her every detail. Shizune frowned.

"Sasuke-kun. Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" she asked sternly.

"I asked for an earlier leave," he replied with a stoic expression.

Sasuke turned to walk back into his room. Shizune frowned and glared at Sasuke's back. 'Kids these days.'

Sakura burst through the double doors that lead into Tsunade's office.

"Tsunade-sama!" she called out frantically.

"Hm?"

The chair swiveled and faced Sakura. The Godaime looked at her pink-haired apprentice who was standing before her.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura cried out. "What's this talk about me taking care of Sasuke?"

Tsunade sighed. "Didn't I tell you this like two days ago?"

"But-"

"Sakura," Tsunade said sternly. "I promised you that Sasuke could accompany you to the festival on one condition. That you would take care of him when he is out of the hospital."

"But why me?" Sakura asked.

"I think you know the answer to that. Not only are you one of Konoha's top medical-nin but you also have a closer relationship with Sasuke than anyone else," Tsunade replied.

Sakura blushed when Tsunade mentioned it. "What do you mean?" she asked softly while a faint blush started to creep underneath her cheeks.

Tsunade smiled. 'You can deny that there is anything between you and Sasuke but I know better.'

"I'm just saying that you know him better since you were teammates and all," Tsunade said simply. 'But I'm sure there is more to that story.'

Sakura didn't say anything so she stood there silently. Tsunade finally broke the silence by standing up. She turned to look out the window and said, "I won't force you to do this if you don't want to, Sakura."

Sakura looked at Tsunade but her green eyes only met the back of Tsunade's head. "No, it's alright. I will take the job. After all, a true shinobi will never back out of any mission that is given to them."

Tsunade smiled. "This isn't a mission, you know."

Sakura smiled. "This is Sasuke we are talking about. This is much more than a mission."

"Then Sasuke will be in your care for the next month. He is under probation and he isn't allowed to go on any missions or leave the village."

Sakura nodded even though Tsunade couldn't see her. "You can count on me Tsunade-sama."

"I know."

Sakura sighed. 'This is going to be hard. He might think that I purposely asked Tsunade-sama to be his nurse. If I'm there with him everyday, I might not be able to control my feelings. What if they come back again and I start to like him all over again? Then he will just think of me as just another annoying fan girl. He will never see the real side of me. The one who changed. Who is stronger and more determined. The real Haruno Sakura who isn't a crybaby anymore. Who doesn't rely on others anymore. Someone who isn't a coward, someone who will fight to protect the ones they love, someone that a person can look up to and respect.' Sakura made a fist as she shook with determination. 'A true shinobi.'

"Don't worry Tsunade-sama. I will take extra good care of Sasuke and watch him like a hawk," Sakura said cheerfully. "I'll be leaving now," she said as she ran out the door.

Tsunade turned to wave good bye to Sakura but the pink-headed girl was already out the door. 'She sure is determined.'

Sakura ran quickly through the halls. 'Sasuke. I will prove to you that I didn't waste my six years sitting around doing nothing.'

'You never believed that I was any use to you or Naruto when we were together doing missions.'

'You always doubted my abilities.'

'You thought that I always needed saving.'

'Times have changed. I am no longer the same Sakura you knew six years ago.'

'I'm worthy to be your opponent.'

Sakura reached outside where the cool breeze blew against her soft pink hair.

'I will prove to everyone.'

Sakura started walking home. She walked past many of the stores that lined up side by side and stopped in front of Ichiraku. She spotted the back of a familiar blond headed boy.

"Naruto!" she called out. The blond headed boy turned his head from his bowl of ramen.

"Eh? Sakura-chan!" he called out happily as he waved his chopsticks at her.

Sakura smiled and walked over and sat down on a nearby stool.

"Sakura-chan, do you want a bowl of ramen?" Naruto asked while grinning.

Sakura smiled and shook her head. "No thanks. I already-"

She paused in the middle of her sentence when she realized she hadn't eaten at all. 'Hmm. Oh, that's right. I was going to eat at Sasuke's house and-'

Sakura shrieked. "Oh no! I said I was going to make breakfast for Sasuke!" Sakura jumped up from her seat and rushed out of Ichiraku.

"Sorry Naruto. I have to leave now," Sakura said in a rush as she ran towards the Uchiha mansion.

Naruto stared blankly at the pink-haired kunoichi as she disappeared. Her figure started to gradually get smaller as she soon turned to a mere speck in the distance.

"What just happened?" Naruto asked while talking to himself. He decided to ignore it as he ordered another bowl of ramen. "Oh well, I can just toss away my confusion with another bowl of ramen."

Sakura panted as she collapsed down on the ground. She leaned against the wall of the entrance leading to Sasuke's home. Sakura closed her eyes as she tried to regain her breath.

Sakura stood up and walked to the door. She raised a fist to knock on the door but when her fist almost met the door, the hinges squeaked as the door swung open by itself. A gush of wind blew her hair back.

'Wait a minute. Shouldn't the wind go the other way around?'

Sakura shivered as she stared into the empty hallway. 'This place is just too eerie.'

She noticed how she never took notice of the inside interior of the beautiful mansion. She slowly removed her shoes and stepped inside. The door slowly slammed shut behind her.

'Ok, now that was just too creepy.'

"Sasuke?" Sakura called out quietly. She was too scared to talk too loud as if something might jump out to get her is she made any noise. She walked slowly so that she wouldn't make any creaks in the floor.

'This is silly. There's not such thing as ghosts.'

"Sakura," a voice said, calling out Sakura's name.

Sakura screamed as she jumped up into the air.

Sasuke winced as Sakura screamed. "Why do you have to scream so loudly in the day?"

Sakura whirled around to come face to face with Sasuke. She sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you."

"Who did you expect?"

Sakura froze with no reply. 'Crap. He'll laugh at me if he knew that I was scared of his house because I thought that there were ghosts wandering around here.'

Sakura laughed nervously. "O-oh, it's nothing. I was just excited that's all."

Sasuke didn't seem to be fooled by her reply, but if he was then he didn't show any expression of it on his face. He sighed. "Sakura, what are you doing here?"

"I promised that I would make you breakfast, didn't I?" Sakura replied cheerfully.

"I already ate."

A gray cloud appeared over Sakura's head as she hanged her head in sadness. 'This is almost like getting rejected.'

Sasuke sighed. He hated seeing Sakura looking so down. It was making him seem like the bad guy here. "Fine. You can make me breakfast."

Sakura's eyes sparkled in delight. "Really?"

Sasuke turned around to walk back inside his room. "No." He disappeared into the shadows.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. "You're so cruel and cold." She sighed and walked to the kitchen. She was going to make Sasuke a damn breakfast even if it kills her. 'I'm not going back on my promise.'

'Let me ask you something Sakura. Do you even know how to cook?'

'What are you talking about? I'm an excellent cook!'

'Just don't kill him, okay?"

'I'm going to kill you first if you don't shut your mouth.'

Sakura tightened the forehead protector around her head and placed on the nearest apron she could find. Sakura smiled as she opened the refrigerator. The sight she saw made her gag.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" Sakura screamed as her screams echo throughout the whole house.