A/N: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters associated with it.

It All Started With A Dare

Chapter Seven:

"Bye everybody!" Sakura waved as Sasuke placed his arm back around her waist and began to walk off.

"Hey, I think Teme is falling for Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered in Shikamaru's ear.

"It would seem that way, but knowing Uchiha, you never know," Shikamaru replied.

"It doesn't seem something like he would do," Neji agreed.

"Ahh, isn't the way Sasuke's treating Sakura soo romantic?" Ino butted in. The guys looked at each other and shrugged. Is that what they call romantic? Looking like an idiot in front of their friends and people they didn't even know? Somehow, though they didn't like the idea, they wanted to share the same thing with their dates. The girls on the other hand had already given up and gave each other a sigh as they continued walking to their homes.

"Sasuke-kun, this isn't the way to my house," Sakura said in a confused tone observing they had just passed the turn to her apartment.

"I know, but you're not tired already are you?" Sasuke sounded worried. He wanted to take her on a walk so they could talk, really talk. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to find out the way he felt about her. He already couldn't complete the dare successfully, but that wasn't what was bothering him. Not only did he think she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, he now started to get this warm fuzzy feeling whenever he was around her.

"Oh, no!" Sakura exclaimed realizing that he actually wanted to spend more time with her. Sakura didn't know what had gotten into him, but she liked it. Plus, her feelings for Sasuke were growing because she could feel that she didn't just have a silly little crush on him anymore. Not that she would have called silly a couple years ago, she was just realizing that her feelings for Sasuke had begun to grow and would continue to do so, starting with tonight. She took Sasuke's hand and gave him a smile which he returned while he laced his fingers with, who in his opinion, was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Soon, the two reached the edge of the village where the two had shared a couple of past experiences together. Sasuke sat down on the bench, but Sakura refused. She hadn't touched that bench since she woke up on in one morning crying for Sasuke not to go. Sasuke gave her a confused look, but Sakura insisted that she would sit on the ground. Sasuke took of his jacket and sat it on the ground allowing her to sit on it so she wouldn't get dirty. Then he slid down next to her to try to keep her warm.

"Remember when we first started as Team 7?" She continued quietly. He shook his head in agreement realizing that this was where he first ever really said anything her. A pain of guilt struck him realizing that he had called her annoying and scolded her. She was only 12, and there was no way that she could have understood the loneliness he had felt. Yet, he scolded her for being a normal 12 year old child. True, what she had said clearly did annoy him, but she didn't know better.

"I'm really not the same girl I was then," Sakura said quietly referencing the same time that Sasuke was thinking of. "I didn't know. I've always wanted to apologize for that." Sasuke just nodded. He didn't know what to say because he started to detect a hint of sadness in the tone of her voice. He didn't do anything though; he just continued to look at her with compassion.

"I was always a bother back when we first started Team 7. It seemed like the most productive thing I could do was come crying to you." He remembered that, but he didn't seem to mind. Coming to think of it, she was always there for him. In the Land of the Waves, he awoke to a crying Sakura on his chest. That had been the first time anyone had ever cried over him. More guilt struck him, but continued to listen as the girl continued to talk.

"At the Chunin exams, I remember I was always got in the way. I couldn't even manage to protect you and Naruto from those sound ninjas." She continued with her voice growing even softer. Sasuke didn't know why this had bothered her because even he wouldn't have been able to defeat them if it wasn't for the curse seal. "You scared me when the curse seal over took you; you weren't the same Sasuke then." More guilt struck; he knew he had completely lost control of himself. How he had ever regained control of himself, he didn't know. He just remembered Sakura was right there when he did trying to comfort him. She had been badly bruised and beaten, but she was still more concerned for him. Wait, he remembered someone hugging him, when the cursed seal receded, but who was it?

"Sakura…" Her name stumbled from his mouth realizing that she had been the only reason why he had regained control of himself at the Chunin exams. She thought he had saved her, but really, she was the one who saved him.

"No, let me continue, please Sasuke-kun," Sakura looked at him eyes filled with sadness. "Mostly though, I wanted to apologize for the night you left…I never should have said all those things" Tears began to flow from her eyes when it his Sasuke that this was the same place he had left her 4 years ago. Looking at the bench, he now understood why Sakura didn't want to sit there. Guilt was now running through every vein of his body. Sakura had spilt her heart out to him that night trying to keep him there, but instead he still left, knocking her out before he did so. "I thought of you everyday while you were gone. I trained too so that way I would no longer get in the way and might actually be some use one day. I even hoped that I might be able to bring you back if I worked hard enough," Sakura smiled, "but then you came back."

Sasuke just stared in amazement. She had been so strong, always devoted to him, always loving him. Why hadn't he noticed her until now? Throughout the years, she was always the person he could count on to be there because she was always there for him. Did he ever once stop to think of all the things she had done for him? No, not even once. She always cared for him and wanted the best for him. She was the only person that he could say that about. Guilt was pouring out of Sasuke.

Sakura began to wipe her tears from her eyes. Her make up started to run, but Sasuke realized that Sakura was still just as beautiful, no even more beautiful, now than he had ever thought. Sakura didn't just look beautiful; she was beautiful. It wasn't her looks that was making feel this way towards her; it was her.

Sasuke placed his hand on Sakura's chin and brought her face to his level. Wiping the tears away from her eyes, he whispered, "You're beautiful," before lightly kissing her lips. Sakura wrapped arms around his neck as she gave Sasuke a smile. He smiled back and kissed her again, but this time longer. He wrapped his arms around her body and kissed her over and over each time more passionately. He couldn't get enough of her.

For that moment, nothing else in the world mattered- not the dare, not his friends, nothing except her and him. He now had all that he had ever wanted. Upon pulling back, he gave Sakura the biggest smile and kissed her on her forehead. He pulled her close so he could feel the beating of her heart. Her heart was racing just as fast as his was. He gazed into her eyes and realized he was happy- the first time he could ever truly say that. 'Could it be… that I love her?' With that thought, Sasuke pulled Sakura as close as he could never wanting to let her go. Sakura gave Sasuke a small peck on the cheek as she laid her head on his chest. A tingling sensation was sent throughout Sasuke's body as if to answer his question. 'I love her.'

Sasuke and Sakura sat their together playing with each others hands and stealing kisses from one another. Sasuke yawned soon since exhaustion had begun to sit in. "Tired?" Sakura smiled sweetly at Sasuke.

"Yea," Sasuke replied knowing he could no longer hide it.

"Wanna go home?"

"Not really," he replied honestly. He didn't want to leave her. He wanted to stay right there with her, but Sakura had already stood up and put out her hand to help Sasuke up. He pulled her forward to give her one last kiss, but then got up as well. "I'm still going to walk you home." He stated coolly wanting to spend every minute he could with her.

Sakura chuckled, "That's fine." Taking his hand in hers, Sakura quickly laced her fingers with his.

By the time they had reached Sakura's apartment, Sasuke had to stumble up most of the steps to Sakura's apartment with Sakura's help of course. He had begun to become too tired that he barely could keep his eyelids open. He had also started mumbling silly things that didn't make any sense.

"You're cute…" Sasuke stuttered out at Sakura's door. Sakura blushed and then giggled at Sasuke. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Okay, bye bye." He said stumbling off, but Sakura pulled on his hand. "Yes?" He asked with a dopey smile on his face.

"Ano, maybe it would be best if you stayed here tonight?" Sakura asked trying to get Sasuke to stand still.

"Ohhh," A grin flashed across the raven haired boy's face, "you want me to stayyy…" he finished in a sing song matter clearly getting the wrong idea causing Sakura to blush.

"No, no" She said patting Sasuke on the back as she escorted him into her house. He was out of it, but she still thought it was kind of cute. She managed to get him to the spare bedroom. She gave him a smile as she laid him down in the bed and covered him up. She tried to leave, but he wouldn't let go of her hand.

"Sasuke-kun," She whispered, "let go."

"I don't wannaaaaa," he said as he pulled her on top of him and kissed her more patiently than he had all evening. Sakura turned at least 4 shades red and quickly got up, not that she particularly wanted to.

"You have no idea what's you're doing," She whispered to him knowing that he was too out of it to know anything that he was doing. Sasuke grunted, but soon curled up in a ball and fell asleep. Sakura ran her fingers through his hair and gave him a kiss on the forehead, "You're so cute when you sleep," she smiled, "Thanks for a wonderful evening."

"It was the best dare I ever took," Sasuke mumbled in his sleep, unaware of what he had just said.