For those of you who were confused, in chapter five (I think it was chapter five…), I wrote 'I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure that I will be writing her ('her' being Katana) thoughts in the last chapter when she is either rejected/chosen by Sasuke' and I wrote her thoughts in chapter six instead (which is NOT the last chapter). So do not make the mistake of thinking that Sasuke has already chosen someone yet. (I'm not really sure how you could, but I thought I'd clear that up anyway.)

To answer your question, Sigel, when I first started writing this, I didn't plan any of it out (which I normally do). So I pretty much just created Katana that way there would be someone perfect for Sasuke for me to make a short romance about. Then I wrote about Sakura a little and wondered 'is it really fair to have someone else just come in and take him like that? Besides, Sasuke and Sakura don't make a bad couple either.' In other words, I started to feel bad for the girl, and before I knew it, I was writing a love triangle. I had to change the summary from saying 'SasuOC' to 'SasuSaku & SasuOC', and that was a huge step for me. Soon, I had a long list of reasons for why Sakura deserved to be with Sasuke and a long list of reasons for why Katana deserved to be with Sasuke (most of which came from my wonderful reviewers and PMers). Even now I'm not sure (I think I said that I was, but now I'm unsure again…) which one I want Sasuke to pick. It's so infuriating! We're close to the end (REALLY close), yet I still haven't figured this part out. Well that's just typical of me. I think this response was probably a bit longer than you needed, but at least I thoroughly answered the question…right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Gawd.

After Sakura had finished healing herself, she looked over at Sasuke, who had a huge gash across his arm. She shook her head in disbelief. "Sasuke, I can heal you now if you'd like."

Sasuke walked over and extended his arm towards Sakura so she could heal it. He felt her cool chakra flow through him. It felt so good, he didn't want her to stop. But after a few minutes, she did, much to Sasuke's disappointment.

He looked over at Katana, who was leaning against a tree with a far-off look on her face.

"How is it that Sakura and I were both in need of healing, yet you were completely unscathed?" Sasuke questioned Katana.

Katana shrugged and a smirk played on her lips, "I suppose it's just because I'm stronger."

"Or maybe it's because you're just a paranoid idiot…" muttered Sasuke.

"Hey! You can't pin the blame on me! You thought Sakura was an enemy too!"

"Well," said Sasuke dryly, "Maybe if you hadn't suggested it, I wouldn't have had such a stupid idea!"

Sakura frowned, "It's three in the morning guys. We might as well get some sleep today."

"Sakura's right," agreed Katana.

Sasuke nodded his head in agreement, "Of course, if Katana hadn't been such a nuisance, we would've already had six hours of sleep…"

"And if Sasuke hadn't followed me—"

"I wouldn't have followed you if you hadn't left!"

"I wouldn't have left if you had picked a better place to make camp!"

"I would have picked a better place to make camp if anyone had objected!"

"I would have objected if you weren't wearing your "fuck-off" face all the time!"

"I wouldn't be wearing my "fuck-off" face if you weren't always around!"

Katana looked shocked. "Well then sorry I'm always around," said Katana in a defeated voice, before making her way back to camp, Sakura following closely behind.

I'm such an idiot…thought Sasuke regretfully.

Their journey the next day was spent in mostly silence. Sakura could feel the uneasiness between the two, and she certainly was not going to be the poor fool who tried to interfere. That day, Sakura decided where to make camp since she did not want another argument arousing. It was a small patch of grass surrounded by dense trees.

Sasuke watched as Katana slapped at the mosquitoes that encircled her. He could tell she would be leaving the camp site again. He still felt bad about what he had said and thought he should probably apologize. That night would provide the perfect opportunity.

Sasuke woke up in the middle of the night, expecting to find Katana's empty sleeping bag. To his surprise, she was still sleeping soundly. Something doesn't seem right, thought Sasuke. He subconsciously reached over and poked her arm, causing her to disappear in a puff of smoke. A bunshin…clever idea…he thought. He got up and quickly made his own two bunshin. He transformed one of them into the shape of Katana and kept one in the shape of him. Sasuke made them both lie down in place of the real Sasuke and Katana, so Sakura wouldn't get worried. He learned his lesson yesterday; he only hoped that Katana had learned her lesson too. Oh come on, he thought, she's not stupid enough to attack me again…

"I can't believe you attacked me again!"

"Sorry!" exclaimed Katana for the umpteenth time.

"How could you not know it was me!? The same exact thing happened yesterday!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know you figured out I had left a bunshin!?"

Sasuke sighed and looked down at the gash along his arm. "Sakura just healed this yesterday…"

Katana chuckled, "Boy is she going to be upset when she sees that."

Sasuke laughed with her, enjoying the moment.

"So," inquired Katana, "Why did you come?"

Sasuke frowned, "I wanted to apologize about yesterday, or maybe it was early this morning…I can't remember. Anyway, I didn't really mean what I said…I'm not really used to not insulting people." Sasuke felt sheepish adding on the last line.

Katana smiled. "I've noticed"

"You're supposed to say 'apology accepted'." Sasuke smirked back.

She simply laughed in response.

Sasuke looked over at her and couldn't help noticing how pretty she looked. This was the first time he had seen her with her hair let down. It flowed loosely over her shoulders and down her back, framing her face. She caught him staring and her eyes waited expectantly, as if she could already read his mind. Sasuke slowly leaned in and kissed her. It took her no more than a second to respond and kiss him back. She moved closer to him and Sasuke could feel his stomach tingling in delight. Time had no significance whatsoever in their minds as it slowly ticked by. Sasuke didn't want to stop, but knew that he had too. It was the same with Sakura's kiss. He had not wanted it to end, but had stopped for the sake of the other.

Sasuke slowly pulled himself away from her, but kept his hands on her waist. She looked at him with unreadable eyes and stood up, seemingly understanding Sasuke's reasons for ending their moment of passion.

"We should go back." she managed to say.

Sasuke nodded in response and followed her back, wondering why it was so hard to stay away from these two girls.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Wake up!"

Sasuke reluctantly opened his eyes and found himself staring up at a pink-haired kunoichi. God, she's beautiful, thought Sasuke sleepily. He slowly got up and rubbed his eyes. He looked over and saw Katana still sleeping soundly.

"What's with you two?" asked Sakura, "Normally you two are the ones waking me up."

Sasuke looked up at her guiltily, not sure of what to say.

Luckily, Sakura intended for it to be rhetorical and got up to go wake Katana. But not before she noticed the gash on Sasuke's arm. She looked from Sasuke to Katana and frowned. "You two were up late again…weren't you?" said Sakura, sounding a lot like Sasuke's mother.

"Sakura! I'm sorry…I just wanted to apologize to her…I didn't mean for it to happen!"

Sakura looked at him, surprise evident on her face, "For what to happen, Sasuke?"

Why did I have to say that??, Sasuke thought bitterly. He remained silent, not wanting to lie to her, yet certainly not wanting to tell the truth. Paradoxes just love me, don't they?

It didn't take Sakura long to figure out what happened. "Sasuke, you bastard! You have no idea how much I care about you. I would die for you, yet you can go and do something you know would hurt me without a second thought," she screamed, close to tears.

"Sakura, I—"

"NO! I don't want to hear any more of your stupid excuses or apologies! I'm sick of them! I'm sick of you!" Sakura turned around, facing away from him. "I'm getting a head start to Suna, you and Katana can catch up later," she said coldly before she departed.

Sasuke watched her leave and felt like jumping off a cliff. A really tall cliff with jagged rocks at the bottom. How could he be so stupid as to upset her again?! He looked over and saw Katana stirring. Well…we'd better get going if we want to catch up with Sakura…

Yes, the long-awaited KataSasu kiss has finally arrived. Although to my SasuSaku fans, it is probably the unwanted KataSasu kiss…anyway…

I HAVE GOOD NEWS! I have decided whom Sasuke is going to pick, and it's for certain this time (I think…). I know I said in the beginning of this chapter that I had not yet decided, but as I was writing the chapter, the answer came to me. Just like that. If everything goes as planned, (which it probably won't) you will know who Sasuke picks during the next chapter...but please don't quote me on that. I am not someone who sticks to my outline, that much I can guarantee. If I was, Sasuke would've fallen in love with Naruto's goldfish three chapters ago. And please do not ask me who Sasuke will pick. I have been getting many PMs asking me this question (despite the fact that I have stated multiple times that I was not sure yet), and it is starting to get a tad bit annoying. Just please be patient.

Oh and in the last chapter I wrote that it was a five day trip to Suna…I meant three…hehe whoops…I think I edited that though so no worries.