A/n: Haha! 5 chapters in a day! AMAZING. Anyway, ignore that. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY SAILOR LUNA! Yep...This is from Sakura's perspective by the way. comments and reviews are very appreciated! -shyshi

"There is nothing beyond the reach of you."

One step after another, Sakura trudged up the stairs, hand clasping the railing as she pulled herself up. 'Why,' she thought, her hand still throbbing as was her cheek.

"Ino-pig! I won't lose Sasuke-kun to you!" Sakura yelled, infuriated by the constant comments coming from her former best friend. The blonde stood before her, an equally angered puff in her cheeks as they glared heatedly at each other.

Before anyone could stop them they rushed forward and punched. Sakura felt victory as she felt her fist strike Ino's face before pain flooded her face as Ino punched her face as well. They stumbled away, former best friends and now rivals as they glared at each other.

"You're both so troublesome." Shikamaru dead panned, his arms folded. Kiba stood, annoyed to anger as he watched them fight.

"Stop it." Megumi spoke up, stepping forward into the light. Her hands were placed on her hips, something rather out of character as she gazed sternly at them both. "I heard you two were best friends before Uchiha-san came."

Sakura instantly dropped her eyes, searching the floor for a barrier to the words. Her cheek pulsed in pain as she thought quietly to herself. 'We were.' She glanced up at Ino, searching the blonde's eyes for a reaction.

"Stop fighting." Megumi chided them both, her hands dropping to her sides as she studied them both. 'I'm not a child!' Sakura glared at the golden haired girl before turning away.

"Stop that Megumi! You're not better than us! I won't let you get Sasuke-kun either!" Ino's voice rang back. Sakura blinked, recognizing the words as she tried to understand what Ino had said. 'She thinks Megumi likes Sasuke-kun?' She couldn't help but scoff at the idea.

"I'm not the one you should worry about." Megumi replied calmly, still refined as always. Sakura spun to stare at the girl. 'What?' She glimpsed Ino, who had a familiar look of confused surprise as they watched the girl who simply met their gaze coolly.

'She's lying.' Letting out a short noise of anger she stormed away.

'How did we fall so far apart?' She thought desolately as she paused, her legs aching as she stood on the stairs. Her eyes softened as she stared at the steps before her. Sighing she turned and sat, her hands resting in her lap as she sat, her head resting against the wall. Strands of pink hair fringed her view and she grabbed a lock, flicking it into her view as she thought.

'She used to be my best friend,' she sighed. 'But I love Sasuke-kun and I can't give up on him.' The dark eyes boy appeared in her mind, painting over the memories of friendship as she sighed blissfully, closing her eyes and imagining her love.

He stepped towards her. His hand stretched out and held her own as he smiled. He offered her a thin white ribbon. Her eyes opened sharply as she thought over the ribbon.

'Kind of like when Ino gave me her ribbon,' she thought, remembering the pictures of their friendship.

"Here Sakura! Happy birthday!" Sakura smiled widely as she took the petite brown bag. Crinkling it open she peered in and laughed immediately as she pulled out a thin blue-green ribbon. The ends were frayed and Sakura giggled as she held up, the sides clearly uneven as it straightened out as much as possible.

"I made it, well I had help but I hope you like it!" Ino smiled sweetly and Sakura returned the smile with a nod.

"Thank you!" Sakura replied happily, still giggling as she tried to think of how to wear her new present. Finally she began to wrap it around her wrist before Ino stopped her.

"No, Sakura!" She chuckled as the girl looked up in innocent confusion. "It's to hold back your hair." Sakura blinked, surprised as she pointed to her pink locks. Ino nodded and forward, gently taking the ribbon from Sakura's hand and tying it around her head. Stepping back Ino beamed proudly as Sakura rushed to a window and stared at her faint reflection. Her hair was now pulled back, a few bangs framing her face as she studied herself.

"Now you're even prettier." Ino complimented happily before laughing as Sakura hugged her.

Her lips turned up in a soft smile as she closed her eyes, arms wrapped around her body as she reminisced. 'It's not like that any more though,' She thought sorrowfully, trying to swallow the block of pride sealing the words in her mouth. 'I miss Ino,' she sighed heavily, her eyes opening as she watched the ground.

'I ended that though and there's no point in dwelling.' Standing she groaned, her legs aching from the constant running all over the building with Naruto. 'Naruto,' she remembered the obnoxious blonde she'd been separated from. It was known to everyone he liked her, he'd liked her ever since they'd met but she'd never given him the joy to be anything beyond friends.

'And now I love Sasuke-kun,' she thought as she traveled up the stairs toward the room. 'I hope he's safe, he should be smart enough to come back instead of look for me,' she almost laughed at the idea of an intelligent Naruto but she had to admit that he was surprising to say the least.

'Sasuke-kun and Emiko should be there at least.' Sakura shrugged, picking up a spool of thread from the ground and continuing up diligently. Thinking of the two alone her imagination began to spin. 'Sasuke-kun wouldn't like her though,' Sakura insisted as she paused on the stairs, her hand clutching tightly to the thread.

'She's not really pretty or smart.' Sakura remembered the times she had to help Emiko with all matters school related. It took her ages to understand simple algebra before she simply gave up and copied Shikamaru's paper. She smiled, heart lightened as she tried to picture the two together. 'It wouldn't work,' she decided, taking the final step onto the floor and walking towards the door.

"Have an offer for you." Sakura paused, her hand resting on the handle as she listened to the barely audible voices shifting from the room. 'That's not anyone on the team,' Sakura thought as she dropped her hand, instead leaning forward and pressing her ear against the door.

"You may not be as well known or dangerous as your brother," The man's voice drawled. "But I can make you strong enough to defeat him. To have power." Sakura's eyes widened, her mind racing as she pushed against the door, desperately trying to understand what was going on.

'Do I have the right room?' She leaned away for just a second to confirm that she had the right room. 'Who is that?' Her ear glued to the door as she tried to hear the faint reply.

"How?" Sakura gasped as she immediately recognized the voice. 'Sasuke?' If the door could have bent it would have been then as Sakura strained to listen. 'Who is he talking to? Why does he want to defeat his brother?'

"I'm well known for my connections and abilities. I could teach you. Your brother's in a gang correct? I'm in a similar profession, if you join I can promise you the power to kill your brother." The man replied emotionlessly, his voice humming of a smirk. 'Sasuke-kun wants to kill his brother?' Sakura stepped away, emerald eyes staring at the door in shock and desperate disbelief.

"Here's my card." Steps padded through the room and Sakura covered her mouth with a slender hand, her head whipping around as her eyes darted over the space. 'What should I do?' The man's voice dripped of cruelty and a dead soul without a care of others. It was terrifying, causing Sakura's mind to buzz with fright.

'I don't want to die,' as the door clicked open Sakura dashed up the stairs, not caring to be silent as she bounded as far away from the room as possible. 'Sasuke-kun what's going on?'