Dedicated to tsukigana and Kari Usui, who reviewed my last chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers, but especially them.

Summary: Sakura reflects on Sasuke's leaving to Orochimaru.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or "1,000 Words".

Author note: It's set after When the Rain Falls, but it's actually Sakura remembering what happened before it. I thought "1,000 Words" was a perfect inspiration.

1,000 Words

Tabi tatsu kimi ni

Tsumetai senaka misete

Kitte ita yo — hitori tatakau no?

Zurui yo ne

"Kaette kuru kara…"

Oikoshite yuku kimi no koe

Ijihatte, tsuyoi furi

Ikanaide to namida koboshitara?

Ima wa dekiru, donno koto mo

Ienakatta, sen no kotoba o

Harukana kimi no senaka ni okuru yo

Tsubasa ni kaete.

—"1,000 Words" by Kada Kumi

ooo

You're leaving on your journey.

The day he left was the worst day of her life. He left her without so much as a goodbye.

Coldly, you turn your back on me.

She begged him to let her come, begged him to let her help him. But he said he was fighting alone; she'd only get in the way.

I heard—you're fighting alone?

"Shut up Sakura. I don't need you, or anyone else."

How unfair.

ooo

She found his letter a week later. A small, simple black box arrived on her doorstep. In his neat handwriting, the words I'll be back stained the paper and burned onto her heart.

"I'll be back"

But he was dead now, and for the first time ever, he had broken a promise to her. He may not have always liked her, may not have always acknowledged her undying love, but always, when he made a promise, he kept it.

Your voice, passing me by.

Tears came then, falling unheeded. "If I had been there, if I could've helped you, if I—"

Being stubborn, pretending to be strong

"—if I had loved you more…"

Turn back time; should I have screamed? Let loose the tears with a 'Don't go'?

It was just a boy. One boy out of millions in the world. Why couldn't she let go? His promise was burned onto her heart, mind, and lips. Her lips, aching to be kissed with a burning passion once again, but slowly, the curse overtook his longing. It fulfilled the desire that she had once quenched.

And now, he was gone forever.

Now, I can't do anything.

She couldn't stop him, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't say 'I love you' or plead with him not to leave.

I couldn't say those thousand words.

Maybe it was just her, but she knew deep down, she'd love him forever.

I'll send them to your faraway back

Sakura smiled sadly, a single teardrop dotting the envelope as she licked and sealed it. Stepping outside, she held up the letter Sasuke had written to her three years ago. A breeze caressed her soft pink locks, much the way the Uchiha's hand had so long ago, and she let the letter go. The tiny white square floated up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds, and vanished from view.

Turn them into wings.

ooo

On the letter, was written:

I'll be back, Sakura
—Sasuke Uchiha

You couldn't come back, Sasuke. I can't forgive you for that, but there was so much left unsaid, undone. I can leave my love unbidden, and I do still love you.
Forever yours,
Sakura Haruno.

The End

Yuck… that was one of the worst written stories I've ever done, but I did promise that I'd update all of my oneshot series when I returned from vacation. So, I did.

Review, so I know my work didn't go to waste.

Sasuke: Work? Yea right you wrote this in ten minutes.

Hikari: Shut up (looks around for listeners) I just had it planned out! Plus, I made you die! You shouldn't be talking.

Um… press the purplish-blue button!