Shattered Pieces

Chapter 13- Always and Forever

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Sakura's POV

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I looked into his onyx orbs, enjoying the warmth emitted from his hands. He looked into my emerald eyes, seeming to pry for an explanation. I held his hands in hope to give him an outburst for explanation, and just for my comfort, and he just continued to think deeper. It's okay Sakura. Just wait! He'll tell you, he'll tell you when he's ready... I closed my eyes and began to think, my heart skipping beats due to nervousness and anxiety, my mind racing due to his answer.

"Wait, Sasuke-kun," I said.

I needed to get this out of my way. I didn't care if I had told him this so many times before when we were young; this time, I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

"What's with the sudden '-kun'? I thought you dropped it a while ago," He said, snapping back into reality.

I studied his face, and noticed the seriousness gone. I smiled. Now I can finally do this...the right way.

"I just...felt like saying it now..."

I sweatdropped. Why did I drop the –kun from his name randomly? He looked at me, a silent sign to continue. A took a deep breath, and carried on.

"Do you...feel guilty?" I asked.

I can't bring it up randomly! Lead up to it, CHA! That's my plan!

Sasuke looked at me, and sighed. I guess I hit the soft spot.

"How can someone not feel guilty, after making someone close to them...broken? I shattered your heart into pieces, Sakura. How can you so easily forgive me? I left you; I put you in danger. How can you...so easily take me back?"

I looked at him in utter shock; my eyes were the size of dinner plates. How could you think such a thing, Sasuke-kun? He broke his gaze from me and looked away, ashamed to even be here with me. I giggled, and embraced him; holding him close to my heart, where he would always have a place.

"How could you think that? Anybody would feel guilty – anybody with a heart. It's okay, Sasuke-kun. I don't care that you shattered my heart into so many pieces...because, well...you brought it back together again..."

I felt him return my embrace, and I could feel his heart beating with mine. Was this it? I felt his breath on my neck, and I smiled. He pulled away, and touched his forehead to mine, our lips inches apart.

"Are you sure, Sakura? Are you sure you want to love someone like me?" He asked.

I smiled, and nodded.

"Of course! But are you sure you want to love someone like me? I'm...weak...and useless..."

I saw his face harden and his muscles tighten, and he looked me in the eye.

"You aren't weak, nor are you useless. You don't need protection, you can provide that for yourself. You aren't useless...because..."

I looked at him, acknowledging him to continue.

"...because, I need you, Sakura. If you weren't here, I never would have left Orochimaru...if I killed Itachi, I'd probably still be in the mountains, dead from my wounds, my mind in clusters of confusion...just feeling...lost."

I wrapped my arms around his back, pulling him into another embrace. I snuggled close to his chest, and inhaled his scent.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun...never feel that way again...never feel lost..." I said.

I felt his arms wrap around me, and I smiled into his chest. The wind gently blew, bringing dancing cherry blossoms to dance about us, swaying to the rhythm and the singing of the wind.

"Never feel lost, because I'll always be here..."

The cherry blossoms continued to dance, bringing about a wonderful atmosphere. The wind continued to sway them to its rhythm, steady, steady.

"...and I'll just keep finding you, all over again..."

They continued to swirl and twist, always falling but always getting picked up over and over again. It reminded me of this love that I had, this love that I cherish...

"I love you, Sasuke..."

And this love that I cherish, I will continue to cherish, forever. Even after the last cherry blossom dies, even after the mesmerizing dance of the cherry blossoms ends, I will continue to cherish this love...

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Sasuke's POV

Their views are switching, I hope it's not too confusing

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She told me to never feel lost again. She told me that she'd always be there for me. She told me that she loved me.

"I love you, Sasuke..." She said.

I looked down at her angelic form, snuggling closer and closer to me. My head was rested atop hers, watching the cherry blossoms dance in the wind. I shut my eyes and inhaled the spring air, enjoying her scent of strawberry. I let the breeze gently blow through my chicken-shaped hair, and I just continued to think to myself, think how this happened to me...

"Sakura...never feel weak...never feel useless..."

Thinking, thinking, I'm always lost in thought. Why was I always so blind? Why were my eyes always filled with loneliness? Why was I always oblivious?

"...You will never be weak...because you're strong in your heart...you follow its duties..."

I let go of her love once before; one time too many. I made that mistake. Train, train, pain, pain, the daily routine with Orochimaru. But no matter how much pain, I'd always think of what I was doing to myself...

"...All your strength is right there, in your heart..."

What was I doing? Why was I training for a goal that I may never achieve? But worst of all, why did she haunt my mind? Why was every blow I took and made, why was she always there? But I get it now...

"...And that's why I love you, Sakura..."

She never left me; she was always with me. I took her heart with me; the responsibility of it haunting me was inevitable. But now I've finally brought it back...and I'll continue to cherish this feeling...I'll never forget this feeling...

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Sakura's POV

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The boy that was cold-hearted and enshrouded by ice. The boy that I grew to love. First, a childhood crush. Now, true love. It's not hiding away anymore; it finally came out of the darkness called loneliness. I cherish this love; I cherish this boy. Nothing will interrupt this love, I won't let anything come in between. Exact opposites, that's what we are. Me, Haruno Sakura. Kind-hearted, cheery, hating violence and chaos that only cluttered my mind, feminine but strong, enthusiastic in the worst and best of situations.

I am incomplete without him. We compliment each other.

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Sasuke's POV

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The girl that was kind-hearted and perky. The girl that was always annoying to me as a child – the kind of person I ignored. The girl whose heart was pure and strong, one that could so easily be shattered but be so easily mended once more. The one and only girl I choose to love. Love. A feeling she taught me how to feel. I cherish this new feeling that I feel; I am no longer alone, I am no longer lost. I will let nothing hurt her; I will let nothing come between us. Exact opposites, that's what we are. Me, Uchiha Sasuke. Cold-hearted, easily annoyed, distant, avenge, dark, negative, arrogant.

I am incomplete without her. We compliment each other.

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Normal POV

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"I love you Sasuke..." She said.

"I love you, Sakura..." He said.

And then they were left, embracing in the midst of the dancing cherry blossoms, the rhythm of the wind, the beating of their hearts. Alone in their own world, thinking, dreaming of each other, blown away by each other's beauty, each other's passion. He took her lips, and she took his. It was clear that they were meant for each other, standing alone in the midst of beauty – they themselves adding to the splendor of spring. Her heart no longer shattered in pieces, rather pieced together perfectly, never being allowed to break so long he took her heart. His heart was no longer enshrouded by darkness and ice; the ice being melted by her, the darkness scared away by her light. They were no longer incomplete; they were no longer seeking. They complete each other. So they stood there, in the splendor of spring, admiring its magnificent beauty, admiring each other.

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Her heart was no longer in shattered pieces. It was pieced together perfectly, and it will never fall apart as long as her cherished love lasts forever.

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"I love you, Sasuke..."

"I love you, Sakura..."

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Always and forever they will last. Always and forever they will hear those words reverberate around their hearts. Always and forever...

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End

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Well, I hope you liked the ending! It's shorter than usual. I might just write and epilogue, rawr! Thanks for reading, I enjoy reading all your reviews :D Thanks to everyone that's read, I appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed this story. Till next time!