Here's chapter 9! Hope you like it. Enjoy!

Stay With Me

Chapter Nine: Sasuke's Reason

Sasuke had gone to bed soon after Sakura had. Everything was quite in the Uchiha residence as they both slept. However the event of Sakura's parent's deaths was replaying in Sakura's dreams. Sometime later on that night, Sasuke woke up hearing a scream throughout the whole house.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh." Sasuke jumped out of bed after grabbing the kunai that he kept under his pillow and sprinted into Sakura's room as fast as he could. The scream had stopped by the time he entered her room. He looked for any sign of her. He let out a sigh of relief and calmed down when he saw her sitting up in her bed crying hard. Sasuke dropped the kunai and it clattered to the floor right in front of where he had been standing. He approached the bed and sat down beside her. She was hugging her chest with tears streaming down her face and she had sweat beating down her forehead. He brought her hands away from her chest and pulled her into a hug.

"Shh…" He whispered in her ear while stocking her hair softly. When she finally came to her senses she blinked a few times and blushed realizing who was holding her.

"Sa-Sasuke?" She said softly which was muffled by her tears.

"Aa." He replied pulling away from the hug. Sakura looked away at her lap and whipped her tears away with her hand.

"I woke you up didn't I?" Sakura said still not looking up at him.

"It's fine." He told Sakura. Her head shot up and looked at him.

"No its not, I woke you up how can you say that!" She replied looking at him straight in the eye. Sasuke smirked at her.

"Because, it doesn't matter." He told her seriously. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why'd you scream like that?" He Asked her. She looked away and her eyes began to swell up with tears once more.

"I-I guess th-that I still haven't gotten over there deaths." She told him honestly. Sasuke eyes softened slightly.

"Your parents?" He Asked. Her eyes widened and looked at him.

"H-how?" She asked him.

"Tsunade told me when we were in the hospital." Sasuke replied softly. Sakura mouth an 'oh' and looked down at her lap once more.

"I keep seeing it replayed over and over in my mind. There dead body's on the floor when I returned from training and the man standing over them laughing…I couldn't do anything I just fell to my knees and froze unable to do anything before he walked out. " She told him and her tears feel from her eyes freely.

"They were murdered?" He asked. She nodded

"I trained all the time and became cold. My parents were gone I couldn't face my friends…I-I couldn't find a purpose for living anymore I felt lost." She explained. Sasuke griped her shoulders tight and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"Don't ever think that you don't have a purpose Sakura. As long as you are alive you have something to live for. I used to think revenge was my only reason for living but I was wrong." He told her looking at her intently. Sakura let out a small smile.

"Don't worry, I think I realize that now and I have already decided what I'm going to live for." She told him smiling.

"Good." He said softly. He was about to get up and leave when Sakura stopped him by grapping his wrist.

"Sasuke could you… stay here with me tonight?" She asked him with a hint of pink on her cheeks. His eyes widened slightly and turned his head away to hide his very light blush.

"ah…sure" He replied. He lied down beside Sakura on the bed but being Careful so that there bodies didn't touch. But Sakura rolled over and rested her head on his shoulder making his face to go red as a tomato. He was about to roll her back over but heard her whisper to him.

"Just this once Sasuke." So he decided leave her there and he gently put his arm around her waist.

"Aa." He replied and for the rest of the night the both slept peacefully for once.

The next morning Sasuke woke up to the smell of something cooking. He glanced to the side and noticed that Sakura was no longer beside him. 'She must be cooking' he thought to himself. He got out of bed and returned to his room to get dressed. He came out wearing a pair of black pants and a black long sleeved shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. When he entered he saw Sakura at the stove cooking. She was wearing a straight cut navy blue dress that went just above the knee with the Uchiha fan on the back. She noticed him walk in and she smiled at him.

"Morning, Sasuke." Sakura said and handed him a plate of food once he was seated.

"Thanks." He replied and she sat down in front of him with her own food.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked him before taking a bite of her food

"Aa." He replied. Suddenly Sasuke's telephone began to ring throughout the house. Sakura was about to get up and answer it but Sasuke stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder. He walked over to the phone that was in the corner and answered it.

"Yeah" He said into the phone.

"Oh hi Sasuke this is Ino, so it's true you are back." she said but to Sasuke it sounded like she was screaming.

"What do you want?" He asked her a bit annoyed.

"Right is Sakura there? Can I speak to her?" She asked.

"She's eating, what is it?" He Asked her.

"Oh well then would you mind if me and Shikamaru came over we need to talk to you both." She asked

"Whatever" He replied

"Thanks Sasuke well be there soon. bye" She said Sasuke hung up the phone and but it back on the receiver.

"Sasuke…?" Sakura said once he came back into the kitchen.

"Ino and Shikamaru are coming over they need to talk to us." He said as he sat down where he had been sitting before he went to get the phone.

"Oh ok." She replied and got up to get a glass of jus. "We need some more food, were running out." She informed him

"Aa." Sasuke replied. Once she finished her drink and Sasuke finished his food she picked up the dishes and placed them in the dish washed.

"I can pick up some food after ino and Shikamaru leave. Is there anything that you need to do today?" Sakura said.

"I need to see the Hokage." Sasuke informed her.

"Why don't you go when I go pick up the food I'll get Ino to go with me since I'm not completely on my feet yet." She told him.

"Hn" he replied and there was a knock on the door. Sakura got up to go an answer the door and Sasuke followed her close behind.

"Ino, Shikamaru!" Sakura exclaimed once she opened the door.

"Sakura it's so good to see your alright." Ino said pulling her into a crushing hug.

"You to...Ino…but I can't…breath." Sakura said softly.

"Oh I'm sorry Sakura." Ino Said and let her go. Shikamaru walked inside the house and closed the door behind him. Ino noticed Sasuke standing behind Sakura and approached him. Ino glared at him for a good ten seconds. "Sasuke I'm sorry." She said and slaped him hard across the face. Sasuke glared at her and brought his hand up to his cheek and rubed it lightly.

"Ino!" Both Shikamaru and Sakura exclaimed.

"Hn." Sasuke replied.

"Sorry Sakura but you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that for him hurting you." Ino told her.

"But still I don-" Sakura began but was interrupted by Sasuke.

"I deserved it Sakura." Sasuke told her. Sakura's head shot up and looked at him.

"Well come on are we just going to stand here all day or what?" Shikamaru asked. Everyone walked into the lounge and sat down. Ino and Shikamaru sat in the love seat while Sakura and Sasuke sat on the couch that sat three people one at each end.

"So what did you want to talk to us about?" Sakura asked.

"Well Sakura I want you to be my maid of honor and you better say yes or I'll pound you." Ino threatened.

"Don't worry Ino I'd love to." Sakura replied.

"Good. Oh and Sasuke your going to be one of the best men next to Chouji, Naruto, Lee, and Neji got it." Ino said but with her voice a bit threatening.

"Aa." Sasuke replied.

"Everyone is going for fittings tomorrow then you'll be going with Shikamaru and Sakura you'll be coming with me." Ino informed them

"Man what a drag." Shikamaru replied

"Alright will I guess well get going now." Ino said before standing up.

"Wait Ino, would you mind coming with me to the store so I can pick up some food? Sasuke has to go see the hokage and I'm not perfect on my feet yet." Saskura asked her.

"Fine lets go forehead girl." Ino replied. Everyone approached the door and slipped on there shoes before walking out of the house. They all walked together until Sasuke had to go in a different direction towards the hokage tower.

"Bye Sasuke." Sakura said. She turned around towards Ino but a hand gripped her wrist.

"Wait Sakura." Sasuke said. Sakura turned to face him while Ino and Shikamaru walked ahead a few feet pretending not to pay any attention to them. Sasuke looked around to make sure no one was looking. He leaned in so his lips were beside her ear. "Be careful." He whispered and quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets walking away. Sakura just stood there shocked unknown to both her and Sasuke that Ino had seen the whole thing.

"Sakura come on!" Ino called out.

"Coming." Sakura replied quickening her pace to catch up with Ino.

"I'll see you girls later I'm going to go hang out with the guy's while you two shop." Shikamaru said once they reached the store.

"Okay." Ino replied and Shikamaru kissed her on the cheek and left. Sakura and Ino walked into the store. Sakura began to pick up food and placing it in her hand basket while Ino rambled on about her weeding that was in a month. After a bit of silence Ino decided to ask Sakura something that she had been dying to ask her since they'd entered the store. "So Sakura what's going on with you and Sasuke?" Ino asked smirking. Sakura froze and blushed.

"W-what? Nothing…there's nothing going on where'd you get that idea." Sakura stuttered still with the blush on her cheeks and reaching for a few apples.

"Don't lie Sakura I saw you and him just before he left." Ino told her. Sakura's eyes widened and looked at Ino who was smiling at her. Sakura let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't know Ino, but lately he's been different…he hasn't been acting cold towards me he's been…kind to me." Sakura confessed.

"Alright we're going out for lunch after this and your going to tell me everything that's been going on between you two got it." Ino told her.

"Do I have a choice?" Sakura asked.

"No you don't, now you done? Good lets go." Ino said and getting her to hurry up with buying her food. Meanwhile Sasuke had reached the hokage's office.

"So you want to rejoin team Seven?" Tsunade asked him.

"Aa." Sasuke replied.

"Very well but there are going to be some conditions." She told him. He looked at her waiting for her to continue. "I will place you back on the team but you cannot go on any of the missions until you probation is over but I will allow you to train. Understood?" She continued.

"Hn." Sasuke replied. The hokage went back to her paperwork but Sasuke didn't leave he cleared his throat to get her attention that he was still there.

"Something else Uchiha?" She asked him.

"In about a month I'm going after Itachi." He informed her. The hokage now had her elbows on the desk with her hands intertwined and her chin resting on them.

"I see. Very well, But before you leave, be sure to talk to Sakura alright." She told him locking her eyes with his.

"I plan on it." He told her.

"Good you may leave." She told him and he exited the room Closing the door behind him. He looked up and saw Kakashi standing in front of him leaning on the opposite wall.

"So you're still going to chase after Itachi?" Kakashi asked him. Sasuke's bangs were covering his eyes.

"Aa." He replied.

"You remember what I told you several years ago right that rev-." Kakashi began but was interrupted by Sasuke.

"I'm not doing it for revenge anymore." Sasuke told him.

"It's to protect her isn't it?" Kakashi replied. Sasuke didn't reply. He looked up at Kakashi and smirked at him before he began to walk away. 'He will only get stronger now that he's realized that.' Kakashi thought to himself while smiling under his mask before entering the hokage's office. Ino and Sakura had now gone to a little restaurant and Sakura had told Ino everything that had been going on between her and Sasuke.

"HE DID WHAT!" Ino yelled. Sakura quickly but he had over Ino's mouth.

"Shh... do you want everyone to here us." Sakura said before removing her hand from Ino's mouth.

"Sorry Sakura but I can't believe that he kissed you." Ino replied.

"Yeah I was a bit shocked when it happened." Sakura told her.

"Have you asked him about it?" Ino asked her. Sakura shook her head.

"I'm afraid to because what if it didn't mean anything to him." Sakura said quietly.

"Trust me Sakura with everything that you've told me he definitely cares about you. He might just need time. Don't worry he'll come around." Ino told her and stood up from the table.

"Thanks Ino." Sakura replied also getting up from the table. They placed some money on the table and Sakura picked up her bags that contained the food she had bought. They exited the restaurant and bid the other goodbye before heading home. When Sakura retuned to the Uchiha residence she noticed that the lights were already on. 'he must be home already.' Sakura thought to herself. She walked into the house and took her shoes off before she was greeted by Sasuke.

"I didn't know it took that long to shop for food." Sasuke said taking the bags from Sakura's hands and taking them to the kitchen.

"Sorry Ino wanted to go out for lunch." Sakura told him. He nodded and helped her but away all the food. "Did you have lunch?" She asked him.

"Aa." He replied. She smiled at him and finished putting away all the food away.

"By the way Sasuke, Ino wants us over at her place early tomorrow." Sakura informed him.

"Hn." He replied.

"Well I'm going to rest for a bit my legs are a bit tired." Sakura told him. He nodded and helped her up the stairs to her room. When she entered her room she collapsed on the bed not bothering to get under the sheets.

To Be Continued…

So what did you think? I had I really hand time coming up with a title with this one.

Please R&R

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