AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone, thank you so much for the story watches on the previous chapter. Your interest in this story makes me incredibly happy. I would really appreciate it if some of you reviewed on the story so I know what I am doing right and what I need to improve on.

SNOW GLARE

CHAPTER TWO

12 months later…

Flicking through her old journal Sakura frowned, "What an idiot I was. Some of the things I wrote are ridiculous." It's all about Sasuke…My plans to get his attention and how he was treating me day by day…It should've been labelled the Sasuke journal…

Exhaling heavily she pressed her eyes shut. Sasuke's personality hasn't really changed so much since then. But now he doesn't even try to be nice, at least he had his moments back then. Now the thought of him frightens me; she thought silently as she absent-mindedly clasped at her night gown. In the end we are altogether dissimilar. The best thing I ever did was stop loving for him all those months ago. But I still miss him as a comrade…

Re-opening her eyes she shifted uncomfortably on her bed, it was cold, much colder than any winter she could ever remember. Even if he did return to the Konoha he would be charged and they would… "Execute him" she whispered as she took a sharp breath; it's not fair, the elders of the Konoha and Danzo were involved in causing his psychological trauma that led to him following this path in the first place death is way too harsh.

Brushing her hand nostalgically over her framed photo of Team 7 sitting beside her bed she smiled sadly. It was a past now so distant that it could be mistaken as a myth or a dream though it was not as pleasant a memory as she wished it could've been. However it still brought her happiness knowing he was there, knowing that he was close. Unlike now. She smiled as abandoned hope swelled inside her chest, looking down at her hands she clenched them, I feel so liberated now that I have unchained my heart from him, of course I still care but now I feel sane at least.

A soft knock sounded from the front of her apartment startling her. Her eyes darted to the door down the hallway, No voice?

Slowly rising from her bed she picked up her kunai that was resting on her dressing table, slowly edging closer to the door as another soft knock sounded towards her. Reaching for the handle she took a deep breath as she raised her weapon and opened the door, revealing a familiar pair of bright cerulean eyes.

"Hey Sakura, I know it's late and please don't hit me for waking you but I have important information I was told to relay to you from the old hag," Naruto blurted out as he pressed his hands together firmly and clenched his teeth in terror.

Relaxing immediately Sakura sighed; It's just Naruto...Why was I so worried? Shaking her head she forced a smile. "Come in it's cold and no I'm not mad," she replied partly mockingly.

"Really?" He exclaimed as his eyes glimmered as his smile grew, "Thanks so much Sakura-chan!" Quickly flicking back his snow covered yellow hooded jacket he bounced into her apartment eagerly.

Walking into the lounge area Sakura took a seat close to the heater as she untied her scarf. "What was this important message Naruto?" she enquired.

Naruto sat cross-legged on the floor shaking a pig statue, "how does it work I thought money always comes out of the hard ones….Maybe if I do this…" He mumbled as he smacked it against the floor roughly causing it to shatter.

Sakura glared at him, "That was Tsunade's."

Choking on the air he was breathing he quickly scrapped all the shards towards his body into a pile. "It was the wind?" he suggested hoping that Sakura would cover for him.

"The important information Naruto, stick to the topic!" Sakura snarled crankily, Looks like I'll be taking the blame for that tonton statue's demise.

"Oh yeah!" he replied slowly with an awkward laugh. "Well apparently Sasuke's been spotted in nearby areas."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat as she sat backwards into her chair in shock. "Where do they believe he is heading?"

Naruto's jaw tightened in anger, "From all the info we have gathered so far it seems that he is heading here, to the Konoha." Sighing he looked downwards before raising his eyes to take in her reaction.

Heart pounding arrhythmically in her chest, Sakura tried to calm herself as she pressed her eyes shut. I must calm down or I will have a heart attack…calm…down…Sakura…Why do you care this much anyway, he's not your love anymore.

Naruto folded his arms across his chest as a concerned look slipped onto his features, "We've been placed on a special ANBU retrieval mission with Kakashi that commences at sunrise in two day's time. This is our last chance to convince Sasuke to come back willingly as a friend of Konoha…"

"Or?" Sakura whispered, full well knowing the answer herself.

"Or…He will be killed on sight due to the plan the old hag and the elders have come up with," Naruto whispered distraughtly as he saw Sakura take a deep breath.

"Our chances of doing so are so slim," she whispered as she took a deep final breath; "My presence might hinder it too, he hates me."

Naruto fell silent. Watching her unsurely before laughing hysterically, "That's a good on-"

"-I'm serious Naruto!" Sakura cut in, completely insulted at Naruto taking her statement so lightly. "How can we even have a chance of completing this mission successfully? How can we succeed if I am still that annoying fangirl that he knocked out and left crying on a cold park bench? That person he seems to hate so passionately," she snapped furiously as she whipped her hair over her right shoulder.

"Don't you realise how different you are since we saw him last time? You have matured more than anyone our age that I know!" Naruto whispered carefully. "It's been 2 years since we last saw him Sakura. The only thing that may mirror your old self is your…" he paused as his voice strained, "your love for him."

"I DON'T love him," Sakura snapped quickly as she glared at Naruto. "I locked those feelings away a long time ago now. I'm nothing but an annoyance that should be eradicated in his eyes…If he cared for me maybe that would change things but it won't happen, I have accepted that, so that's why I do not love Uchiha Sasuke anymore," she continued hoarsely, There is a limit to how much rejection I can take, Forcing a smile she shrugged, "So that's that."

Taken back by her words Naruto nodded, unsure what else to do in this situation. "You know what Sakura?" he asked gently as she looked at him unsurely, "You are really beautiful in that see-through dress."

A shiver ran down Sakura's spine as all hairs on her body stood on end. Her cheeks glowing with an instantly found heat. "YOU PERVERT!" she howled as she picked up Naruto by his collar and punching him repetitively between the eyes before tossing him and his snow coat out onto the street.

"Se-e y-ou tomo-rro-w m-or-ning Sa-kur-a" Naruto stated dazedly as he rubbed his well deserved injuries.

"UGHHH!" Sakura growled as she slammed the door and stormed off to her bedroom. Stopping in her tracks she looked down at a small letter sitting on her windowsill. Turning it over it read 'Sakura.' Blinking in confusion Sakura slowly slipped the folded letter out, Naruto didn't walk down here…whoever did it slipped it under my window. Unfolding the letter she felt a tug at her heart, the kind she just tried to convince herself she never got anymore; "Sasuke."

Sakura,

If you aren't aware already I'm close to the village. The reason for this is not to reminisce on memories of a past nor is it to start a war. I am contacting you as you have offered your assistance to me on two occasions and I'm taking you up on this offer - temporarily.

I have recently sustained serious injuries to my eyes, so severe that I am not the one writing this letter. I can only see rather well when I use my sharingan or if it is daylight, otherwise I only see blotches of colour. I have been told that if I go untreated I may lose my sight completely.

I know you will want something in return, we can discuss this at a later time. I won't take no as an answer.

Sasuke

P.S: Don't expect special treatment because you're helping…This wasn't ideal for me either…

Freezing Sakura's arms fell limp as the letter tumbled from her hands to her lap. Sasuke returned to get me? His injuries sound serious, he must've overused his mangekyō sharingan. How can I ignore this even as a team mate? Naruto couldn't. But if I leave I run the possibility of being labelled a missing-nin and it could be a trap…No it's not my concern anymore, I'm not going to just risk everything I have earnt for him. If he needs help he can get me himself, he can take a risk!

Whipping out a pen and paper she quickly scrawled a reply;

Sasuke,

You didn't say you are completely blind so if you are serious prove it. Meet me alone in my apartment tonight. Then I will take you seriously, I'm not just going to walk into some trap.

Sakura

Folding the piece of paper she scrawled his name on the other side and placed an illumination jutsu on it so it could be seen through the darkness outside, before slipping it half under the windowsill. Placing her hands on her hips she grinned, That was clever of me.

Suddenly a dark shadowy body appeared before the window, it quickly snatched the letter and then vanished.

Her heart racing she quickly took a step backwards as she ran into something soft and warm. Stopping in her tracks, causing her heart to race faster and faster as she looked up to be greeted by his stoic features. "Sakura."

Turning around she reached up to touch his feathery ebony locks, moving to his flawless ivory skin, his eyes…how are they? "Sasuke, let me see your eyes," she whispered concernedly as she tried to urge him into the luminous area of her room.

Grabbing her wrist roughly he grunted, "No."

"Why?" she snapped angrily as she glared at him. "I'm not going to just take your word as the gospel anymore," she retorted as she pulled her wrist her was holding, forcing him forward into the light. Pausing in shock she took a deep breath, Why is there so much blood? She shivered, not in fear but in panic of how far her medical abilities would get her in such a specialised case. "You are an idiot Sasuke, why did you overdo it so badly?" she snapped as she glared at him.

"You've gotten more confident," Sasuke stated flatly as he observed her.

Glancing up at him she nodded, "I stopped loving you, that does a great deal of good to a person's character."

"Hn" the Uchiha snickered in disbelief.

"I'm not leaving this room you know," Sakura replied as she sat on her bed. "I'm not running off anywhere, I'm an ANBU now, I have responsibilities here. Besides I need specialised info on the sharingan to heal you, if you can get that then I might be able to help but I'm not leaving," she replied pertly as she crossed her arms and looked back at the very handsome man before her.

A smirk crossed the Uchiha's perfectly carved lips, "I knew you would say that," he remarked as he dropped something and vanished.

An almost silent hissing noise sounded from the floor before her followed by a sweet smell; "Sle-epi-n-g g-a-s?"

Suddenly her world went black.