A/N: An awkward time for an ending, yes, but I feel that this is the right time to close this story. This story may not have been as successful as other stories, but that's all right. I'm just glad people reviewed, thank you to all the reviews for this story and making it as successful as it is!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Bring Me To Life
Summary: After Sasuke left, Sakura didn't know what her purpose in life was anymore. Her presence has becoming nothing. When three years pass, Sasuke comes back to Konoha. At his return, Sakura is at a mix of emotions"Save Me From The Nothing I've Become."
Chapter 18 – Final Chapter
Sakura tried her hardest focusing on her medical work. It was so obvious that she wasn't into her medical jobs because constantly nurses and doctors would stop her for a second, take her aside and ask, "What's wrong?" And Sakura would answer the same way, giving them a fake reassuring smile, saying it's nothing, and that she was just a little drowsy from staying up all night last night learning a new medical jutsu.
Sakura sighed, for what felt like the millionth time that day. She was currently sitting in the library, flipping through pages of a book Tsunade had wanted her to read, saying that it would help her develop stronger medical chakra, and Sakura was currently on her break from the hospital. Her eyes were staring into the book, even though her mind was somewhere else.
'There's got to be something I can do…' she thought. 'Even though Sasuke-kun did betray the village and became a missing nin… he doesn't deserve death.' Yes, Haruno Sakura did have a strong soft side. 'I know I can't make Tsunade-shishou listen to me, but…'
She flipped through a few more pages in her medical book, trying to concentrate on something other than Sasuke. "Having fun?" Sai's voice came from the distance, and Sakura groaned. "That's a nice way to greet someone back," Sai said sarcastically. "How about next time you say, 'Oh, hi Sai-kun'?"
"Very funny Sai," Sakura said. "But I'm busy right now, so if you don't mind, I'd like to have my privacy while I study."
"Study?" Sai questioned peculiarly, picking up the heavy medical textbook and flipping through the pages. "Or daydreaming about the traitor and what his death will be like?" Sakura's face became gloomy from his statement. Sai sighed, knowing that he hit a sore spot. He pulled out a chair, taking a seat next to Sakura.
"You know," he started, pointing his blank obsidian eyes towards Sakura, trying to see her face but her pink hair covered it. "Sasuke's chains are covered with Tsunade-sama's chakra, right?"
Sakura straightened her position, flipping her pink hair over her shoulder. "Yes, what about it?" she said in a clearly uninterested tone.
"Don't you train under the Hokage?" Sai inquired, and Sakura gave a peculiar look.
"What are you getting at, Sai?" Sakura asked unsurely.
"Well, since you train under the Hokage, you should have chakra that is similar to her strength," Sai answered her. "Or… chakra that surpasses her strength." Sakura rose an eyebrow, finally understanding what he was getting at.
"You think I should go and break Sasuke-kun out?" Sakura asked. She took a few moments to think of the information she had just been told, and darted her eyes towards Sai calm composure. "Why did you tell me this?"
"You wanted to save the Uchiha from death," Sai said monotone. "You don't want him to die." Sakura gave him a small nod. "You can waste your time and try and figure out why I told you this, hag, or you can use this time and go break him out. Your choice."
Sakura slowly rose from her seat, hesitant about Sai's words. The black-haired man chuckled at that. "You still don't trust me, do you?" Sai asked, looking at her with empty obsidian eyes. 'I don't know if I should trust him,' Sakura thought. 'But something in my gut tells me I should.'
Sakura walked towards the entrance of the library, stopping to take one last glance at Sai. The said man was merely peering inside Sakura's medical textbook that she was supposed to be studying, his expression showing that of curiosity as his eyes browsed it's contents. "Sai," Sakura called out softly. He looked up at the sound of his name called. "Thank you," Sakura added, giving him a smile before walking off. Sai stared after her, waiting until she got out of his sight when he returned to reading the heavy book.
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Sakura gently rose her fist, knocking against the door. The unlocking sound of a lock was heard, and the owner opened the door. "Hey Sakura-chan," Naruto greeted, curious about Sakura's visit. "Do you need something?"
"Naruto, can I talk to you?" Sakura asked, walking passed Naruto when he stepped aside to let her in. Naruto's curiosity increased at her statement, nodding to her question. He closed the door behind her, following Sakura as she headed towards his living room, sitting down on the couch, crossing her legs.
"Okay… what do you need to talk about?" Naruto asked, sitting down on another couch. Sakura fiddled her thumbs, taking a few moments to think while Naruto waited patiently.
"It's… about Sasuke-kun," Sakura admitted, looking up at Naruto behind her thick lashes to see his expression. The blond-haired ninja slightly stiffened at the sound of Sasuke's name, soon regaining his composure.
"What about him?" Naruto asked in a normal tone. When Sakura didn't answer, Naruto sighed. "You know that you can't do anything about his death sentence, Sakura-chan."
"I know," Sakura answered, "but…"
"But?"
"I met Sai at the library," she told him. "And… I think there's a way I can get Sasuke-kun out of the death sentence." Naruto's ears perked at the information. 'Get him out?' he thought in his head.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked.
"W-Well… Sasuke-kun's chained to the wall, with Tsunade-shishou's chakra in the chains so he can't escape." Naruto nodded, and Sakura took a breath before she continued. "Sai told me that since I'm Tsunade-shishou's apprentice, I should have the same power of chakra as her…" She looked at Naruto's face, "…or stronger chakra than her."
"You're going to break him out?!" Naruto said, a little louder than Sakura was comfortable with.
"Quiet!" Sakura hushed him. "I don't want all of Konoha to hear this, Naruto!" Naruto shrank down in his seat, blowing the blond strands that hung in front of his face. He lifted his arm, scratching his head as he sat upright again.
"So if you have it all figured out, why'd you come to me?" The Kyuubi vessel asked.
"Because… I'm not sure about this whole thing," Sakura admitted. "I don't know if I should get Sasuke-kun out or not."
"You're unsure? How could you be unsure?!" Sakura once again hushed Naruto for his loud voice, but Naruto ignored it. "Sakura-chan, of course you should get him out! I mean, Sasuke-teme may have been a bastard and followed the snake bastard and became a missing-nin and all, but you and I both know that he doesn't deserve death!"
"What if Tsunade-shishou finds out?" Sakura inquired, biting her lower lip. "She knows that no one can match her strength, unless she thinks of Shizune or me. And knowing my emotional attachment to Sasuke-kun, she's going to know that I broke him out."
"Oh…" Naruto calmed down, realizing that Sakura had a very good point. "Don't worry about that for now," Naruto told her, "I'll deal with that, and make sure that she doesn't think of you. Just trust me on that for now." Sakura looked in his cerulean eyes, knowing that he wasn't lying since keeping his word was Naruto's "ninja way."
"Alright…" Sakura said, slowly getting up from the couch and brushing herself off. She gave him a genuine smile, "Thanks Naruto. You really are a good friend."
Naruto gave her a sheepish grin, "Anytime Sakura-chan!"
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The kunoichi slowly made her way over to the dungeon that lay just a few meters away on the outskirts of Konoha. She couldn't find the reason as to why her hands started shaking the more she got closer to where she knew Sasuke was. Why am I so shaky? She wondered in her head. Maybe because you're unsure of what you're about to do, Inner Sakura suggested.
Sakura walked towards the dungeon-like building, her legs beginning to shake as well. God, why am I so shaky? She forced herself to calm down, taking long, deep breaths and exhaling them out slowly. When her body stopped quivering, she continued forward. She stopped walking when she was in front of the guard.
Sakura looked up at the shinobi, the person who was supposed to be guarding Sasuke to make sure he didn't escape. "Visiting hours are not of this time, Haruno-san," the guard said, looking down at Sakura's petite form.
"I know," Sakura replied, and a soft breeze blew by, causing her bright pastel pink hair to whip across her face. The guard opened his mouth to retort to her statement, but Sakura lifted her arm, gently hitting a pressure point in the man's neck. The guard closed his eyes, unconsciousness taking over his form as he fell to the ground.
That should keep him out for a few hours, Sakura thought to herself, mentally proud of her work. She sighed, stepping inside the dark room. She saw Sasuke; his head hung low, silky raven bangs hanging over his pale face. Sensing a new presence, the Uchiha looked up. A scowl immediately settled on his face, "What do you want now?"
Sakura, slightly taken aback and offended by his sudden harshness, still stood and looked at him. Her eyes trailed that chains that were still linked on both his wrists, noticing the dents in the strong metal. "Were you trying to break out?" Sakura asked, voicing out her thoughts.
Sasuke snorted, turning his head to the side, "That's none of your business. Get out and stop wasting my time." Someone's in a bad mood, Sakura's alter ego said in a singsong tone. Is he mad at me? Sakura thought, But what did I do?
"What's wrong?" Sakura questioned, walking forward and kneeling down in front of the Uchiha Prodigy. Sasuke ignored her, his head still turned to the side with his dark onyx orbs closed. "Are you mad at me?" Sakura continued, watching the expression in his face change slightly before regaining the scowl it was on before.
"I don't get mad over useless things," Sasuke barked back.
"Sasuke-kun, I know what I said before was a bit… 'harsh', but I'm not here to talk to you about that."
"Then what are you here for?" Sasuke looked at her, opening his eyes and staring straight into her brilliant jade green ones. The way he asked the question made it sound like it was a statement.
"I'm here…" Sakura began, taking a hold of one of his wrists as she focused her gaze on the chains. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, watching her carefully with his guard up when he saw green chakra forming on the palm of her right hand. "I'm here to get you out."
Get me out? Sasuke thought. "What are you talking about?" he asked in a blank tone with narrowed eyes.
"I don't want you to die, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura said. "Tsunade-shishou won't let me try to get you out of the death sentence because of the… 'emotional' attachment I have with you. So the only other option so that you won't get killed… is to get you out." She looked up from the chains to see his expression, but he just stared at her intensely with the same empty look he usually gave everyone.
"She's going to know it was you," Sasuke told her. "Because of your 'emotional' attachment towards me."
"I know," Sakura said, her voice suddenly quiet and above a whisper. "But I'm willing to take that risk. For you." She looked back down again, some of her rosette locks falling in front of her face as she continued her work on getting Sasuke out of the chains. When she finished with one, a soft clink sound was heard as the iron came in contact with the hard ground.
One down, one to go, Sakura thought in her head as she got busy getting him out of the next one. After a few minutes, another clink sound was heard and the other chain had come off of his hand. "There," Sakura said, standing up and looking at his now chain-free wrists. "You can go now."
Sasuke kept his eyes on her face, slowly getting up as one of his hands rubbed the other hands wrist. A deep scarlet red mark were seen on both wrists. "What are you waiting for?" Sakura asked, her emerald green gaze connected on the floor. "Get out of here."
"Thank you," Sasuke mumbled, but it was clear enough to reach Sakura's ears. She gave a genuine smile, still not looking at his face, and waited for him to leave. When he was still there and hadn't moved, she looked up at him with a confused look. What is he waiting for? She pondered in her mind.
She saw his face staring at hers, but he wasn't really looking at her. His face looked like he was having an inner battle with himself, like he was deciding whether to do something or not. Thinking that he wanted to be alone, Sakura turned to leave, until she felt a hand grasp her wrist.
"Sakura," Sasuke said to get her attention. She turned around, slightly astonished at his sudden intimate contact, looking at him and giving him her attention. He pursed his lips together tightly before uttering the next few words. "Come with me."
The statement threw her off guard. "W-What?" Sakura asked quietly.
"You heard me," Sasuke retorted, not wanting to repeat himself.
"Well, yeah b-but—Sasuke-kun, I can't go with you." Sakura looked down once again, and Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows at her reply, a scowl making its form on his handsome pale face.
"Why not?" He demanded. With his right hand still gripping Sakura's wrist tightly, he used his left hand and put it under her chin, tilting it up so that she was forced to look at his charcoal eyes. The pink-haired girl couldn't help the small blush creeping on her cheeks from the close distance they were at.
"B-Because I have things to do… and…" She stumbled over words, not really knowing how to explain herself. Why don't you go with him? Inner Sakura asked. It's not that hard, just say, 'Yes, I will go with you!' Because it's not that simple! And why is that? Sakura paused to think over her mental battle, not really knowing the answer to her Inner's question.
Because… what if he just goes off on his own again? And just leaves me alone, againHe won't do that. How do you know? Last time, he made the mistake of not taking us with him. Now he's fixing that mistake by telling us to go with him. I guess you're right… Of course I am, her alter ego said haughtily. Now agree before he changes his mind.
"Tsunade's going to find out it was you who got me out," Sasuke said, trying to convince her. In other words, he was saying that she was going to be in deep trouble, and the way she could get out of it was going away with him.
"I…" Sakura started, licking her dry lips. Sasuke still had her chin tilted upwards, and she closed her eyes for a mere moment, thinking over her decision before opening her eyes again and looking straight into Sasuke's onyx orbs. "I..."
"If you don't want to, just tell me already," Sasuke growled, getting impatient. When she still hadn't said anything, he let go of the grip on her chin and wrist, a usual scowl on his face as he brushed passed her, muttering, "Suit yourself." When he had just reached the door, he paused when he heard Sakura calling out to him.
"Sasuke-kun, wait!" Sakura called out. He didn't turn around, but he stopped walking, keeping his back facing towards her. "I'll… I'll go with you." She walked towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her head against the middle of his back. "Just… don't leave me again."
Sasuke closed his eyes, opening them when he felt her grip on him slowly let go. He turned around, grasping her chin again and tilting it upwards, staring at her eyes for a moment. In a swift movement he leaned down, capturing her lips with his. Sakura kissed him back gently, her eyes fluttering open when he pulled back.
"Promise me something," Sasuke told her.
"What is it?" Sakura asked.
"Let me protect you." Sakura rose an eyebrow at his statement. "You have to let me always protect you."
"I'm not the same weak little girl I was back then, Sasuke-kun," Sakura told him.
"Sakura…"
Sakura smiled at him. She knew that he wasn't calling her weak, and just wanted her to know that he'd protect her, and the very thought of it brought a smile gracing Sakura's lips.
"Alright," she answered. "I promise."
A/N: Eh, you guys probably hate me for a really bad ending. I think I did Okay with it, I mean, it wasn't the best, but I don't think I did too bad either. Read & Review please! And tell me what you think. And sorry if I did a crappy ending…
I'm going to go update Betrayal, since I've been working on the update. I'm at a slight writers' block with it, but the update should be out if not today, then expect it in the next few days.