As Orochimaru's hand went to rest at Sakura's waist, and her shaking hands went to hold his face, Sasuke's blood began to boil.

It was over now.

So it was true.

Sakura never loved you.

"And what if…" Orochimaru dislodged himself from Sakura and looked happily at Sasuke's bent head, black hair shielding his red eyes, glowing with hatred, and hurt. "What if I say no. No, I won't come back."

Orochimaru walked behind him, and patted him on the head.

"Then I'm afraid…" He laughed sadistically, "you will have to sacrifice your friends as well."

"Wha—"

And then it was revealed: Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru.

What! How could they have—

"You're wondering how they didn't defeat me?" His former teacher chuckled. "I have my ways, Sasuke-kun, I have my ways."

He walked back to Sakura, and intertwined their fingers.

"So what do you say? Stay, and watch your friends relive their freedom? Or leave…and watch them die?"

Sasuke kept his eyes on the ground. Beside him, Miruko was doing the same, looking at him out of the corner of his eye, wondering what he would do.

Because Miruko had a newfound respect for the rival.

He watched as Sasuke thought, his brows furrowed, his jaw clenching as possibilities ran through his head.

This man was brave.

This man had a quality to aspire to.

Sakura looked down at him, a million different emotions running through her veins.

Because Sakura had a newfound love for him.

She felt tears flood her eyes, for the nth time that day.

Regret.

Guilt.

Hatred.

Realization struck her with full force.

Sasuke had given up on her.

He had seen the kiss, the kiss she and Orochimaru had shared.

That kiss.

Full of venom, hatred, disgust.

But devastation had clouded his reality of the kiss.

To him, the kiss had been passionate, full of love.

Sakura watched him think.

How she longed to run her hands through his hair, drag her fingers along the contours of his face, lay in bed with him, huddled close, his arms around her, the room; a comfortable silence, unspoken words of love lacing the air.

She had lost him.

And it was all her fault.

Sasuke raised his head.

He had been gone for so long, and the world went on without him.

His friends had changed, and he had not been there with them to share things they all could have had.

And it was time to pay them back.

"I'll stay…" Orochimaru clapped his hands together gleefully, blew a kiss to Sakura.

We have succeeded, my love.

"But not before you release them."

Fly away, frightful bird, to the safety of your nest.

--

Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Miruko, and Sakura walked home in silence.

It felt as though there was nothing that could be said, nothing to get rid of the dead, suffocating air pressing around all of them.

No one would look at Sakura.

They turned away in pity, afraid they would catch a disease from her. Even Miruko had his hands in his pockets, eyes downcast, broken.

They had all seen the kiss.

Sakura felt like falling to her knees, crying.

She had never felt so alone, like there was no where she could turn to, no arms to run into. This was what she had become.

Sasuke had come to save her.

And she had left him to die, her savior.

So…should I just kill him off?

xP

AlternateEndings