Sakura.
Another day with Lady Tsunade. God, this lady was going to kill her, the way she was training her! She wanted to up and quit, but she made herself keep going.
I am not going to be the same pathetic thing I was. When he comes back, I'll be strong, stronger than anyone could imagine! If I'm strong, I won't let him leave again. I'll stop him next time. He's not leaving me twice.
A blast of determination surged through her, and she focused so hard on her Chakra she began to sweat. She focused on her hand's Chakra more and more until… yes! The rabbit was breathing easier! A few more seconds… his foot twitched! His nose quivered! The rabbit was standing up! She did it!
She let out a little "Ha!" of triumph and happiness, and Lady Tsunade looked up from all the papers that cluttered her desk. Sakura blushed and gathered the rabbit in her arms for her sensei to see.
Lady Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief and she praised, "Excellent, Sakura! You sure healed that rabbit fast! Excellent! You're getting better every day!"
Sakura blushed again and bowed to Sensei, thanking her. She carried the rabbit back outside and set him on the grass. As she watched him hop away, Lady Tsunade joined her at the door. They stood in silence for a moment. Finally, Sensei said to her, "I think you've done enough for today, you worked very hard. You're dismissed, Sakura."
Sakura bowed again and left, high tailing for home. Boy, she was tired!
As she walked home, she thought about Sasuke. It occurred to her, not for the first time, that Sasuke was a rogue ninja and would not be welcomed back. He had crossed the border without permission from Lady Tsunade, and the Hokage had been furious. Sakura knew that if, no, when Sasuke came back, Lady Hokage would not let him back in the village with open arms. And even if Sasuke seemed truly sincere, Lady Tsunade would think him acting. His brother had certainly fooled them all.
Even though Sakura seemed happy, she was dying on the inside. Her tears threatened to break through the dam she had been building at any second, she saw Sasuke in every person who passed by. That night was like a broken record, it kept playing over and over again in her head.
Kept reminding her about how she couldn't stop the one she loved from leaving her.
Kept reminding her that no matter how hard she tried, she failed. Was a burden.
Was useless.
She gritted her teeth and broke into a run.
That night, Sakura hid in her cherry tree, ten stones clutched in her fist. Taking careful aim, she stoned ten birds – not hard enough to kill them – hard enough to make one of their wings in need of healing.
Sakura gathered the ten birds and took them into her bedroom, where she had set up a table with scrolls, ointment, and bandages. One by one, she laid the birds on a scroll.
That night, Sakura stayed up until three in the morning, healing the birds. Her quickest healing time was seven minutes and forty-seven seconds. These were minor injuries she was healing compared to a stabbed liver or a broken arm, but she was very proud nonetheless. It took her two hours to completely heal all ten birds, but she didn't stop. She went back into the tree and hit fifteen more birds.
She healed them all.
When she finally went to bed, she was exhausted and her hands were aching. But she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Sakura had gotten stronger. She could now be relied on. She could heal injuries, and the other day, Lady Tsunade instructed her to gather all her Chakra into her fist and punch the ground, releasing the Chakra in her hand as she hit the ground.
Sakura had created a rather large crater.
No, she wasn't going to be useless when Sasuke came home. She would impress him and show off her new skills. Sakura Haruno was going to prove to him, Hey, I'm worth staying for now. I'm now a reason for staying. You're not leaving me again, Sasuke Uchiha. There is no way in hell you're leaving me again.