Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Warning-OOC and language

Chapter 18- Distance

Rain fell heavily from the dark thundering sky as four wounded men struggled to walk towards the gate of their village, Konohagakure. Staggering now and then from the wounds on their bodies; they still continued to move on. Two of them are supporting the others who are severely wounded. It's obvious that every step they take brings pain to them. But they couldn't give up now! The gates can already be seen from afar.

This team of shinobis just came from a mission. An S-class mission. They are ANBU anyway. These kinds of missions are natural for them. It had been two months since they left, and now they return. They are coming back to their village, their home.

It had been a hard mission. But after months-no years- of information gathering, making endless strategies with a lot of back ups incase something goes wrong, honing ninjas who are perfect for the job; it became a success. Their mission is a success. Mission accomplished, as what most shinobis would say.

The four wounded ANBU members halted to a stop, as the guards of the gate blocked their way.

One of the guards immediately recognized who they are, "Let them in. Inform Tsunade-sama about Hyuuga Neji's team arrival. Get some medics here this instant!"

After that said, all went black.

Opening his eyes, all he could see is white. Everything in the room is white.

'Hospital,' he thought, registering it in his mind. Looking around, he saw some flowers and fruits on the bedside table, and then something caught his eye. It's pink. 'Sakura,' he thought once again.

She was sleeping in a sitting position. Her head, resting on his bed, as if she had been watching over him since last night.

Reaching out a hand slowly, he gently stroked her head. Her head suddenly shot up.

"Sasuke-kun, you're awake!" she exclaimed happily, eyes showing of true happiness and relief. "I'll call Tsunade-sama. I'll be back in a minute," she said as she hurriedly went out the door to call the Godaime.

"S…Sa..kura," he managed to say softly, but too late she was already out of the door. Saying her name brought him a pang of loneliness and hurt. He knew he had to leave her, so she won't get hurt. It took years for their love to be awakened truly, but it's the only way. 'I have to leave, so everything will be okay. It won't end as long as he's still alive,' he thought, hands curling into balls.

The door of his room swung open to reveal the medical specialist herself, Tsunade. "You're awake, then. How're you feeling?" she asked.

"I'm feeling fine," he answered.

"I see," she said. "I told Sakura to go home. She's been here every day since your confinement, so I told her to get some rest. You'll be able to go home tomorrow. Don't strain yourself too much. I don't think that you would want your wounds to open again. Just give it a few more weeks to heal completely. Any questions?"

"How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Two weeks and three days," she answered. "Drink," she said handing him a glass of water, "your throat is dry due to lack of water intake. It's normal. Get some more rest. Don't worry about the report. It was already given to me," she said, 'although it's missing an important part concerning you' Tsunade added, only keeping it in thought. "Good work, Uchiha," she said, walking towards the door.

The next day….

"Good morning!" Sakura said brightly to the nurse in the register counter in the hospital.

"Good morning, Sakura-san. Are you going to visit Uchiha-san today?" the nurse asked politely.

"Yeah, I am," Sakura replied.

"I'm sorry to say that he already left earlier this morning," the nurse said, taking a quick glance on her record book.

"I see," Sakura answered, feeling a bit sad that Sasuke didn't tell her that he'll be going out of the hospital today. 'Oh well, he has his reasons,' she thought, thinking positive. "Thank you for telling me that," she said with a smile. She then turned around and walked towards the door, outside the hospital.

She walked on the streets of Konoha, leading to Sasuke's apartment. Looking around, she saw that everyone's acting normal. It's just like any other day in Konoha. There are people who are getting ready for work, children walking to the academy; all of whom with happy faces.

Sakura stopped in front of an apartment. She knocked on the door for a couple of times but no one answered. 'Oh, to hell with it! I'll just let myself in,' she thought her temper rising.

She opened the door. Shock hit her. The place is a mess. A big mess, might I add? The couch was turned over, lamps and pieces of broken china lying on the floor, and a broken mirror on the wall with small droplets of blood.

Sakura put her guards up, seeing this scene in front f her. She thought of all the things that could have happened here but most of all she thought of Sasuke. 'Where is he?' she thought worriedly while searching the apartment.

Now, stopping in front of Sasuke's bedroom door, she slowly opened it, fearing to see something unwanted. Once it was opened, it revealed a room just like the others, messy.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you here?" Sakura called out. She looked around the room, and then she spotted him.

There at one corner of the room sat her Sasuke-kun. He was in a sitting position, legs bended in front of him, elbows resting on his knees for support and his face in his hands. He was sweating, and his breathing was deep and hollow. He was mumbling some things that are very hard to catch.

"Sasuke-kun! I got so worried about you. What happened here?" Sakura asked while kneeling beside him. Relief flowed in her body as she saw that he isn't harmed- save the little scratch on his right fist.

He lifts his head slowly; their eyes meeting each other. His eyes were bloodshot much to her surprise and worry. "What's wrong? Here, let me heal that," she said while reaching for his right hand.

"Don't touch me," he hissed, jerking his hand away from her. "Just…just leave, Sakura."

"W-why?" Sakura asked taken-aback from his statement.

"Just leave!" his eyes filled with coldness and bitterness. "I want you to just leave me alone!" he bellowed.

Tears formed in her eyes. She doesn't know why he's acting like that, and she won't leave until she gets her answer. "No. I want you to tell me what's wrong. Why are you acting like that?" she stated, squeezing his hand.

"I want you to leave me alone. I don't need you anymore!" he said with such coldness. He looked at her shocked and hurt expression sadly, but he kept his sadness masked in his bitter and cold exterior.

"No! Tell me what's wrong, Sasuke-kun," she said, her voice getting softer.

"Nothing's wrong," he replied, "I just want you to leave and go away. I don't need you anymore. Damn it! Why can't you just understand that?"

"If…that's…what…you want, then I'll go…" she said in a breaking voice as the last part ended in a whisper. She turned around and stood up walking hurriedly out of the door.

The door slammed shut and there was complete silence. He couldn't believe that he just did that. He couldn't believe that he hurt her…again. Staring at the spot where she once was just awhile ago, he said in a soft voice, "I'm so sorry." He then closed his eyes in dread.

With Sakura…

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she formed some hand seals and disappeared in a puff. Reappearing in her apartment; she hurriedly went to her room. Slamming the door shut; she plopped down her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

She felt something wet forming on her pillow. Looking for its source, she figured out that it was coming from her. She had been crying! Tears falling slowly from her eyes; Sakura just can't stop thinking about what he said. 'I don't need you anymore!'

'Why? Why did he say that? Why's he acting that way? Why?' she thought heavily as more tears fell.

She had been too lost in her reverie to notice that someone was knocking on her door.

"Maybe she's not here," Naruto told Kakashi, "She might've gone to visit Sasuke-teme already."

"No, she's here. I can feel her chakra inside," Kakashi replied with a frown. 'Why the hell isn't she answering the door?' he thought.

"Mou…Let's just get in. I know she won't mind, right?" Naruto said.

"Yeah, she won't…I guess," Kakashi replied while forming some hand seals and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

They reappeared inside and everything seems normal. They heard a soft sob coming from upstairs. Taking a quick glance at each other; they went up to check the second floor.

The sobbing began to get louder each step they make. The sound seems to emit from Sakura's bedroom. This began to worry both of the guys.

Naruto knocked on her door and began to call her name, "Sakura-chan? It's us," Naruto called out in a worried tone.

The sobbing abruptly stopped and after a few minutes, a weak voice came to tell them that it's okay to come in now.

Once inside, the two guys took notice of her red, puffy eyes and her cheeks that were obviously wiped hurriedly.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked, sitting beside her.

"Nothing's wrong," she replied, trying to suppress a smile but failed.

"It doesn't seem like nothing to me," Kakashi said in a knowing voice as Naruto nodded in agreement.

Sakura didn't say anything. She just bowed her head and kept a weak smile on her face. "Do you want to cry it out for awhile?" Naruto asked in a concerned voice, "It isn't bad to cry once in awhile," he added.

That broke her silence. And, once again, she broke into sobs. Sakura hugged the nearest thing to her which is- at the time- Kakashi. She cried on his chest for some time until she finally calmed down.

"Feel better?" Kakashi asked her with a happy smile.

"Yeah, I do. I'm sorry I got you wet, Kakashi," she said with a pout.

"It's okay. I'm not that wet anyway," he replied.

"Sakura-chan, since you're already calm; want to go with us? We're going to visit Sasuke-teme," Naruto said with a grin.

His grin faltered when he noticed her sad expression again. "Is the reason why you're crying Sasuke? What happened to him?" Naruto asked, but only got nothing in response.

Naruto, realizing that it isn't about 'what happened to Sasuke' but something that Sasuke did. "What did he do now?" he asked anger clear in his voice.

Once again, silence came. Sakura just won't answer. "Sakura, tell me. Is this about Sasuke or not?" Kakashi asked in a brotherly manner. She nodded in response.

"Did he do something bad to you?" this time it's Naruto who asked the question. She shook her head.

"Did he say anything that hurt your feelings?" he asked once again.

It took some time before she answered, but nonetheless she did. "…yes"

"I'll talk to him. Don't worry, okay?" Naruto said, but in his head, he wants to beat the shit out of Sasuke for making Sakura cry.

As if reading his mind, "Naruto, you don't need to talk to him or beat him up. He wants to be alone for the time being. Thanks, anyway," she said softly.

He just stared at her for awhile, and then looked away. "Alright, Sakura-chan. I won't do anything to him but that's only for now. I told that bastard not to make you cry anymore, but he did, so he'll have to pay the consequences," Naruto said through gritted teeth.

"Thanks. Kakashi, Naruto, please don't take this in the wrong way but I'd like to be alone for now," she said again.

"We understand," Kakashi said as Naruto got up and headed for the door with a curt good bye. "Sakura, just understand Sasuke. Something might've happened during his mission, and that may be the reason why he's acting…strange. Cheer up, okay?" Kakashi said with a smile.

"How did you-"

"I visited him minutes before he went out of the hospital," he replied, even before she got to finish her sentence.

"I see. Thank you, Kakashi," Sakura said with a smile.

"No problem."

Two weeks had passed but Sakura and Sasuke's argument still wasn't resolved. Every time someone tries to go near the Uchiha, he pushes that person away- even his girlfriend, Sakura.

The people were starting to spread rumors about them. They even made up stories about their dramatic break-up just to have something to gossip about. But those rumors about them breaking-up are wrong. No such thing happened. Yes, that's right. They're still together, even after weeks of lack of communication; they are still together.

The couple, Sasuke and Sakura, hasn't had a conversation about breaking up at all. They might just say a simple hello to each other but that's all, nothing about breaking up.

Kakashi noticed the change in his former students, and he didn't like it all. Sasuke keeps a lot of distance to all of the people even his friends-if you could call them that- and his girl friend. Naruto would always glare at Sasuke, but something would always hold him back from fighting him. Sakura's always sad, but she hides it in a smile that could fool anyone except those who know her thoroughly.

'This isn't good' Kakashi thought while rubbing his temple. 'I already gave a clue to Sakura as to why Sasuke's acting that way, but I don't think she's working on it. Damn it! I can't stand to see those three acting so ill of each other.' he thought once again. 'Sasuke, what happened in that mission of yours?'

Sakura sat down on her couch drinking some tea. She had been hiding in a happy mask for the past two weeks, and she knows that. The people who are gossiping about her personal life are just adding to her problems.

Drinking some more tea, she got into deep thought. And then, from out of the blue, she thought of what Kakashi said before he left her apartment two weeks ago.

Flashback

"Sakura, just understand Sasuke. Something might've happened during his mission, and that may be the reason why he's acting…strange. Cheer up, okay?" Kakashi said with a smile.

End of Flashback

'Shit! Why didn't I think of that before? He started acting like that after he came back from his mission. He also wouldn't tell me what rank it was before, but it must've been a difficult one to take two months to finish,' Sakura thought wildly. 'I can't ask Sasuke about this. He'll probably push me away,' she thought bitterly.

She thought about all the people she could ask about Sasuke's last mission until she ended up thinking about the Godaime. 'She wouldn't tell me! I know how she is when it comes to those things.'

Once again, she began thinking about who to ask.

Flashback

"You can't go with her. Tsunade-sama appointed us with another mission on the same date as theirs," Neji said, noticing Sasuke's expression.

End of Flashback

"Neji!" she exclaimed, suddenly standing up and snapping out of her trance. 'Wait a minute. Neji's a part of the ANBU Assassination Squad, so that would mean Sasuke-kun is too. Damn him for not telling! Same goes for everyone else!' she thought while making some handseals and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Unknown to her, someone had been watching her from her window. That person didn't like the fact that she exclaimed the Hyuuga's name at all. It made his blood boil when his name came out of her mouth after her deep trance-like state. He was going to say something important to her, but he just didn't tell her seeing that she was 'busy'. Onyx eyes turning to red, he jumped from roof to roof and tree to tree until he reached his apartment.

Reappearing in front of the Hyuuga estate, Sakura hurriedly told the guard, "I need to talk to Neji. It's important!"

"Do you have an appointment?" the guard told her in a not caring tone. Sakura just looked at him incredulously. She was about to retort back when a voice called her name.

"Sakura-chan?" a female voice asked from behind the gate.

Sakura recognized the owner of that voice, and said, "Yeah."

"Let her in," Hinata ordered.

"Yes, Hinata-sama," the guard said with a bow. "I'm sorry for my disrespect, miss," the guard said to Sakura.

When Sakura got in, she told Hinata, "I need to talk to Neji."

Hinata looked at her and noticed that her expression seems urgent. "I'll go get him. Please take a seat, Sakura-chan," she said in calm voice.

Minutes later, Hinata came in the room and Neji following behind her. "I'll leave you two to talk," Hinata said with a smile.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," Sakura said.

Neji took a seat across Sakura and asked, "What is it?"

"It's about your mission- the one with Sasuke-kun," she said in the calmest way she could come up with.

"What about it?" he asked with a slight frown.

"I need you to tell me what happened in it….please," she said in an almost pleading voice.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about it," Neji answered, feeling bad that he could do no help. "You know the rules."

"Please, Neji! I just need to know some things about it. I'll do anything!" Sakura said, tears falling from her eyes. "Please….just…please, Neji."

He sighed. He knew why she's asking about it but rules are rules. As much as he wants to help her, there is nothing he can do about it. Looking at her made him feel worse than he's already feeling. 'I guess I'm the only one who could tell her but…' he thought. 'I can't tell her much of it.' "Sakura, stop crying," he ordered. "I'll tell you some part of it, but you must promise me that all the things that you will be hearing will not leave this room, okay?" Neji said.

"Okay, I promise," she answered while pulling herself together.

"Listen closely. I won't repeat anything I'm about to say," he said as she nodded, "Our mission was to assassinate Orochimaru. It was a success. Sasuke was the on who fought him, until he died. They fought in a different location, but I know Orochimaru was saying something to Sasuke. I didn't hear much of it since I was fighting against Kabuto. He's dead as well."

"Thank you, Neji. That answered some of my questions," Sakura said gratefully.

"I'm not done yet, Sakura," he said which got her attention again. "I might've not heard all the things that he said to Sasuke but I did hear two words. Those words are 'Itachi' and 'power'. I think that you can form a hypothesis with those two words, right?"

Sakura's eyes went big and round. She finally knew the reason why Sasuke's acting like that. "Thank you so much, Neji. I don't know how I could repay you," Sakura said in pure gratefulness and happiness.

"You don't have to repay me. All you have to do is to keep your promise, I'm already fine with that," he said.

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "Thank you again. Well, I'll be going now. It seems that I have wasted some of your time."

"Don't worry, you didn't," he said.

Night came and so did the rain. Sakura sat comfortably on her couch but something was bothering her. A feeling of uneasiness stayed in her chest. Looking outside the window, she saw the rain pouring hard.

'Orochimaru said something to Sasuke-kun about Itachi and power. He probably offered Sasuke-kun power so that he'll be able to kill Itachi. That obviously didn't work like last time. Sasuke-kun did come back, but I was the one who left. Anyway, back to the topic, why is Sasuke-kun acting so distant to all of us?' Sakura thought heavily.

'If Orochimaru mentioned something about Itachi, that would awaken Sasuke's hate for his brother and his crave for more power,' she thought while putting her hands together and resting her chin on them. It was a position that Sasuke used to do.

She thought heavily, eyebrows furrowing in deep concentration. She suddenly stood up!

"Shit!"

Eyes wide and heart pounding, she dashed for the door as she realized what this was all about. She ran in the heavily pouring rain, searching frantically for a certain person.

Tbc…..

Hi! Thank you to all the people who reviewed! The reviews that you give are so encouraging. I hope that you'll keep watch of my updates!

If ever you're reading this, I'll let you know that this story will end soon. I know that you might be surprised, but it's just the truth. Don't hate me!

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