Author's Note: Another chapter for y'all to enjoy

OH! And thanks so much to qqq102 for your review. I should point out and apologize for the lack of character development to all of you. I guess because I had originally planned this to be a short oneshot I hadn't fully developed the idea and so it may fall short in that aspect. But I hope you all enjoy anyway.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter III

He's a coward.

Coward, he tells himself. He presses his hand over his face and through his hair as the memories of the other night, of pink hair and the feel of her satiny skin under his hand, creeps into his mind. He can almost still feel the warmth of her body and hear the sound of her voice.

"What did you really want to tell me?"

"Damn it…" he hisses through clenched teeth.

He hadn't been able to tell her. He can destroy the minds of the strongest shinobi without ever touching them and end a life with nothing more than a small flick of his wrists, but he hadn't been able to tell her what he'd meant to say. He could never tell her, not now, not then.

Leaping off his roof, Sasuke shoves his hands into his pockets and walks to the Uchiha compound.

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He has come here only a few times since his return to Konoha, to walk along the silent streets and pass the empty houses.

It is almost dawn as he walks down the empty street and ghastly shadows throw themselves at his feet. For him, these streets and abandoned buildings are stained with blood. There are bodies staring up at him with lifeless eyes and open mouths. Sasuke is walking among ghosts and they welcome him with bloodless cheeks and smiles.

Sasuke can smell the sickening stench of death here. He can still hear the cries and screams that echo deep within his bones and make him clench his fists until his knuckles turn white as the cold skin of the corpses.

He makes his way to the building he used to call home and enters, the air shifting around him like a ghostly welcome. Silently treading down the halls, he drags his fingers along the walls and dust rises in small clouds from the floor. Sasuke almost mistakes it for ashes.

Then, in front of him are the doors to the room where he found his brother standing over their mother and father, their blood on his hands. He swallows hard and after just a moment's hesitation, pushes open the doors and steps in. His throat closes up as his eyes dart to the place where he saw the bodies of his parents, dark eyes open in horror and betrayal, blood speckling their faces. The time that it takes him to cross to the center of the room is long enough for the years since that bloody day to flare painfully in his mind.

There is a step for the beginning of Team Seven, a step for his battle with Haku, a step for Orochimaru's curse mark, a step for Sakura's tears as he left her behind, a step for Itachi's death, his hate, his revenge and by the time he reaches the center he knows he has done nothing right.

As though someone released a trap door or took the end of a tapestry and tugged, unraveling the entire thing, Sasuke feels something at his center unwind and snap. A hoarse roar tears itself free his throat as he brings a clenched fist back and drives it into floor with enough force to split his knuckles.

Coward.

Clenching his eyes shut he lets his throaty screams fill the room and shake the walls that are still too, too crimson. Screams and sobs are no longer distinguishable, both broken, both coming in shudders and from a place that he had forgotten existed.

Hate me, little brother.

And suddenly, somehow, she's there, holding him against her as he screams again, caving in on himself. She cradles his head against her chest, rocking slightly and whispering in his ear until the storm passes. Even when he is no longer screaming and the only sounds coming from him are his great shaking breathes, she doesn't release him until he pushes her arms off. He rights himself and sits against a wall, not looking her in the eye.

"Why?"

"Sasuke…?"

"I butchered him," he whispers hoarsely. "I tore him apart until he didn't look human so why won't he die? How come no matter what I do I can't get rid of him? How come even though he's dead all I've got are these ghosts?"

She's never heard him sound so defeated. Sakura doesn't know what to say, or if she should say anything. Instead she shifts closer so he knows she's there and listens.

"I thought that if he was dead, something would change. I thought there would be something other than hate once I killed him. I was stupid enough to think I'd become stronger than that bastard, but I was wrong. I may have killed him but in the end I couldn't become stronger than him because he's still here!"

There is something terribly broken and resigned in his voice and Sakura can't take it.

"You're wrong."

He looks up angrily and suddenly she's there crouched between his knees, with that look on her face. She brings her hand to cup his cheek before continuing, "Itachi was weak." With a small smile she slowly moves her hand down to his chest and firmly presses it over his heart. "There is no strength in a man who doesn't know the value of a human life…or the power in a human heart."

His eyes widen almost angrily and his catches the hand on his chest and tugs her closer so that their faces are only a breath apart. There is a wild look in his eyes, and desperation and disgust are painted on his parted lips.

"Don't you understand? I have nothing!" he shouts at her, his grip on her wrist painfully strong. "He made sure that I had nothing but revenge and now that he's dead I don't even have that. I devoted myself to killing him and now what? All I've got now are shadows and ghosts of a past that I just want to forget! I have nothing!"

His heavy breaths fill the air and blow across Sakura's face and suddenly he's aware of how close they are and the sad determination in her eyes. Then, as if it had never existed, the distance between them is gone and Sakura brushes her soft, bowed lips against his in the faintest of kisses. Sasuke's eyes widen in shock and he stares at her as she draws back, breathing lightly against his slightly parted lips.

"You have me."

The words waft across his lips and set something in him into motion. Swiftly leaning forward, he closes the distance once again, his lips descending desperately onto hers. She leans into him, winding her arms around his neck to draw him closer. Unlike the last one, this kiss is hungry and seeking, Sasuke needing her and Sakura only too willing to give herself. When they pull apart, they lean against the other's forehead, panting.

"You'll always have me," she whispers.

Their moist lips meet again and in her agonizingly sweet kiss, he finds something so brilliant and precious it frightens him. He finds something he hasn't had in all his years of killing and dying.

He finds hope.

Author's Note: Eek I can't tell if I'm loving this chapter or not, but hopefully you guys enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought.

Reviews are loved and welcomed!