Alright...so there's not really much romance between anyone in this story. But I'm putting it back on track. For those of you that absolutely hate Kalei and Sasuke together...I'm sorry. That's the plot of this story and I'm going to make it interesting. I don't find it very fun if everything just falls together so easily.
Anyway, take a breather from your Kalei-x-Sasuke hatred...
Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen: The Only Thing Missing

"It's not your fault so please stop your crying now."

"Wow..."

That was it. Wow. That was all Naruto could manage to say after Kalei had just explained what had happened between her and Sasuke last night. She was expecting something more...but instead...he just said wow. How...pathetic.

It turned out, that after she had confessed to him...he told her she should just stay at his place until the rain stopped. But it didn't stop raining until early this morning, so he just had her sleep on his couch instead. They hadn't really talked much the whole night. Actually...for the majority of the night, she had just sat on the couch crying silently. Part of her felt stupid...while the other part was relieved. But even when morning came...they hadn't said much. He just asked her if she wanted to come with him to meet up with Naruto.

And here they were. Naruto and Kalei were sitting back on a tree while Sasuke was running laps around a dirt track. It wasn't exactly 'training'...so it was okay. He had told them he needed some form of training, no matter how small. So he was going for physical fitness. And Kalei had taken this time to tell Naruto all about last night's happenings.

"Looking back on it...I don't know if I should have told him."

Naruto looked at her. His face was serious. "Kalei, some things are better left unsaid. But I don't think this was one of them."

She looked at him and smiled. "Stop trying to sound smart."

His face broke into a grin and he started laughing. He was so carefree. "So, are things between you still okay?"

Kalei shrugged. "I don't know. I think so. Or really...I hope so." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I think...I might have made a mistake."

"No...no mistake." Naruto said, scooting closer to her. "You can't think that. Besides, it's over. You have to work with what happened now." She looked at him and giggled.

"But he has feelings for Sakura."

Naruto groaned and leaned his head back against the tree. "This is too complicated. It's hard to believe the bastard has any feelings for anyone."

Kalei nodded and watched as Sasuke came around the track. He stopped and rested his palms on his knees, head bent down, trying to catch his breath.

Naruto chuckled. "Bastard...that was only 50 laps." He stood up and walked over to Sasuke.

Sasuke glared up at him and stood up straight. He took a deep breath and looked over at Kalei, who was staring at him unintentionally.

"I won't get in trouble for this?"

Kalei shook her head and stood up. "No...its just exercise."

Sasuke nodded and looked back to Naruto. "You should have ran with me."

Naruto grinned. "No, I was talking to Kalei about some things." Sasuke's eyes widened and he glanced at Kalei. She turned her head away and bit her lip.

"Well, I have to head to the Hokage's office. Papers to turn in." She said, starting to walk away. "Catch you guys later!" And with a few hand signs, she was gone.

Sasuke heard a sigh escape Naruto and turned to look at him. Naruto shook his head, causing Sasuke to glare at him.

"So what now, bastard?"

"She told you about last night."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, about her feelings for you." His face twisted into a glare. "I swear, if you hurt Sakura one more time-"

"It's not like that." Sasuke interrupted him, walking over to the tree. He leaned his back against it and lowered his gaze to the grass.

"Maybe not, but even if Sakura finds out Kalei told you about her feelings...she'll think you don't like her any-"

"Who said I did?" He glared up at Naruto, who's face twisted into a bewildered look. Sasuke never asked for this. He came back to train. Not to have any type of commitment or relationship.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed and he took a couple steps toward Sasuke. "You went on a date with her. You made her think you had feelings for her."

Sasuke's glare softened and he looked off to the side. "I can't have anything holding me to this village. I have something I need to do."

"Damn it, Sasuke! That's no excuse!"

He looked back at Naruto, who was glaring at him harshly. "What about the after? After you've done what you need to do! You'll come back, won't you?"

His eyes widened. That was always a possibility. But he wasn't so sure there would even be an after.

"Shut up, loser. You don't understand."

"No, because Sakura's never loved me!!" He said, putting his head down, fists clenched at his sides. "She's always loved you. And you keep throwing it away...thinking it's going to always be there."

"That's not what I think."

"Then why do you keep taking these chances?!"

Naruto looked back up, a frown on his face. He wanted Sakura and Sasuke to be happy. But he wanted them to be happy...together. Sure, he liked Kalei...and he didn't want her to get hurt either...but Sakura was one of his closest friends. He couldn't stand it if she were to lose Sasuke all over again.

"I never asked her to care about me. I never asked either of them." He said angrily.

Naruto shook his head. "Nobody asks for things like that. It just happens...and right about now. I think you need it."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "I think I should have never come back."

Naruto grunted and took another step toward Sasuke. "Whatever you choose to do...people will get hurt."

Sasuke sighed and nodded. He knew this. He knew it well.

"You'll be leaving Sakura all alone, all over again."

Sasuke this knew too. "Then what about Kalei?"

Naruto shrugged. "You need to tell them how you feel." His gaze drifted off to the side.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah...but Sakura won't be back for a while."

After a moment of silence, Naruto looked back to him. "Sasuke...Grandma Tsunade told me she'd be back tonight. Turns out the mission went better than planned."

His eyes widened. Great, so then he had to face her a whole lot sooner than what he had wanted. Actually, he hadn't wanted to talk to her about it at all, but obviously, that was unavoidable.

He pulled his weight off the tree and started to walk away.

"Bastard!"

Sasuke looked back.

"Meet me at Ichiraku tomorrow around noon. Tell me how it all goes!" He said, half grinning. Sasuke nodded and walked off.

This is so boring. I'm so bored. I haven't had a real mission in like, 3 weeks! Kalei was lounging up in a tree outside her house, staring at the setting sun. It was early evening, and she had been bored since she returned from the Hokage's office. And she didn't want to go over to Sasuke's. That would just look desperate. In fact, she didn't really want to even talk to him right now. That would be awkward.

"Hey."

Startled, she looked down to see Sasuke standing right in front of her house. Well, so much for not talking to him.

"Hey." She said, sitting up and letting her feet dangle from the branch.

He shuffled up a little ways and looked up at her, which felt strange. Usually he had to look down. "Last night..."

"Forget it." She said quickly, looking off to the side. This was the one thing she didn't want to talk about. At least not right now.

"I can't. I told you that once before."

"I mean, you'll forget it anyways...right after my assignment of watching you is over."

"Forget your name? That would mean forgetting you all together."

"What, isn't that possible?"

"I can't forget you. You've already annoyed me way to much."

Yeah, he had, handn't he. But it was different now. "I was just a little emotional. It was the rain." She said, keeping her gaze off into the distance.

"So you mean to tell me that you didn't mean what you said?"

Her eyes widened. What did he care? It wasn't right. She wasn't even sure if she really loved him. The words just spilled out. And besides...she knew the stories. Sasuke Uchiha wasn't somebody to really ever love you back.

"I don't know."

"So you lied." He said coldly.

"No, I didn't lie." She countered, looking down at him. Their eyes met, sending chills through her body. She was craving the warmth of his chest right about now. The way it had felt in the rain.

"So then you're lying now?" He asked, just as icily.

"I'm not sure. It doesn't matter."

"It does. Why else would I come to your house to talk to you about it?" His eyes narrowed.

"Speaking of that...how did you know where I lived?" Her face twisted into a look of confusion.

He shrugged. "Naruto had told me once. He has ties with the Hokage. She must have told him."

Kalei nodded.

"When I told you we felt the same things..."

Her heart jumped. She remembered that. Their conversation the night before.

"I think...we feel the same things."

"Are you referring to our past..."

"Or now...?"

"I meant out past. The pain. Loneliness." He finished, keeping eye contact.

A look of disappointment flooded her face. "I know. I don't know why I asked. I mean...Sakura's always-"

"It's not about Sakura."

Her eyes widened. He ran a hand through his hair.

"It's my brother. He's the only thing that matters to me right now. That can't be changed. I'm an avenger."

Kalei bit her lip. "Yes, but...you can't only hate, Sasuke. It'll end up destroying you!"

A small smirk crawled onto his face. "I don't only hate."

Her breath grew shallow.

"The past few weeks I've been here, I've realized this." His voice was soft now.

Something in her chest started burning. It hurt. Him saying all this...it just hurt.

"You told me that you realized that you weren't alone. Well, I've realized that...I'm not really all alone either."

A small smile formed on her face.

"If I would choose to stay in this village...I would have Naruto, Sakura, many others...and you."

If I would choose? "Sasuke...you can't leave."

His smirk faded.

"You can't leave. The Hokage would never allow it. Besides, if you walk away from this village again...you can never come back. You've already been given your second chance. Don't blow it!"

He could sense the desperation in her voice. "I never said I would be coming back."

She felt her eyes start watering. Why would he say these things to her? And if it hurt her this bad...she could only imagine Naruto's reaction. And even worse...Sakura's.

"Don't...s-say that..." She shook her head. "You have people here who need you...and you need them. Don't put yourself through that loneliness again." She whimpered, causing Sasuke's heart to jump. "I...Sasuke please."

"Kalei."

She rubbed her eyes and looked into his.

"Thank you."

And just like that. Once again. He had slipped away. But it was strange. Something so sad had happened.

And it wasn't even raining.

"We'll take the scrolls to the Hokage, Sakura." A brown haired ANBU member said.

"Get some rest. You did well." Another said.

They had just passed through the gates of Konoha. And it was extremely late. Maybe 2 in the morning.

"Alright. Thanks." Sakura nodded at them as they vanished. She took a deep breath and started walking forward. It was good to be home. And earlier than expected. She just wanted to go home and sleep now.

"Sakura."

She looked up at a light pole, and seen somebody standing on it. In a dark cloak. An ANBU cloak. On top of that, she recognized the voice.

"Kalei...it's so late...what are-"

"It's pointless."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "What's pointless?"

"You're attempt at getting Sasuke to stay here." She said coldly, making Sakura slightly angry.

"What are you talking about?"

After a minute of silence, Kalei jumped off the light pole onto the ground, right in front of Sakura.

"I love him."

Sakura's mouth fell open. Wow...she was gone for what, two days...and comes back to find this out? Damn...

"W-what?" Sakura stuttered.

"And I told him, Sakura."

Now she was upset. Sad, confused, and upset. "Kalei..."

"So from this point on... I won't be putting in any more good words for you."

Now she was angry. "I didn't know you were." Sakura started scowling at Kalei, taking note that once again...she had her mask on.

"I won't give up, either, Sakura."

Sakura's whole body started shaking. Part of her was scared. What did Sasuke say when she told him how she felt? "You just told me it's pointless. That getting him to stay was impossible."

"I work best in those kinds of situations. ANBU works with the impossible."

Sakura bit her lip.

"You're clearly not there yet."

Ouch. That struck a nerve. And now her temper was rising.

"You're way too bold." Sakura said, through gritted teeth. She was angry...but too tired to put up a fight right now.

Kalei turned around, letting silence drift over them. "Just remember, Sakura...I have nine more days with him."

Sakura knew this. She knew it well. "I don't know what happened between you two, Kalei."

In an instant, she was behind Kalei. Her speed was fast, but Kalei was only slightly impressed.

"But just remember..." Sakura whispered, threateningly. "He may be trying to break his old bonds..."

A small gust of wind rustled through the air.

"But he won't form any new ones."

And just as fast as the wind. Sakura had disappeared. Her skill really was that of an ANBU shinobi.

Next Chapter: When Things Fall Apart