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Oh my, oh me!

Chapter Twenty-four: Preparing His Leave

"I keep telling myself things can turn around with time and if I wait it out, you can always change your mind."

Sakura jumped up on the railing, swinging her legs back and forth. A small smile formed on her lips as she stared at Naruto, standing in front of her.

"I'm glad you could patch things up, Sakura."

She rolled her eyes as the wind rustled through her hair. She had met up with Naruto on the small bridge over the creek that ran through Konoha. She had just got done explaining how she and Sasuke had patched things up a couple days ago. It had been a few days since then, and she had only seen Naruto once in that time...also, she hadn't exactly felt like talking about it, considering she would have to add her crying and total stubborn attitude with the story. Thinking back on her conversation with Sasuke that night...really upset her. It was her fault they had gotten like that.

But it was getting better. She really was registering the fact that he would come back. Back to her.

"Have you talked to him since then?" Naruto asked thoughtfully. Sakura nodded and brushed away a piece of hair that flew in her face from the wind.

Yeah, they had talked a couple times, but it was nothing special. He still kept most of his day preoccupied with training, much to her dismay, but she wasn't about to complain. No more arguments. She would savor the time she had left with him.

But the fact still remained...that that wasn't very long.

A small frown formed on Naruto's face.

"So...where are you two going tonight?" Naruto asked.

Sakura's face twisted into a thoughtful expression.

Tomorrow.

Sasuke left tomorrow.

And he had promised Sakura that he would spend the night with her tonight. No training. No nothing. Just her.

And she was waiting for him right now. Naruto had agreed to come keep her company because Sasuke had said it was possible he could be late. And once again, it was understandable. She wasn't going to argue.

Naruto grinned, "So then...are you doing anything special tonight..." His grin grew, and Sakura knew immediately what he was talking about. "As in...something really special?" He snickered a bit and Sakura turned her head, a shy look on her face.

"Maybe." A low, monotone voice broke into the conversation.

Sasuke.

Sakura's eyes widened, but she didn't turn her head toward him as he sat down next to her on the railing. Naruto started snickering, as Sakura's face turned red.

"So nice you could join us." Sakura muttered, feeling Sasuke's shoulder brush up against hers. He was sitting very close to her, and she could just feel the smirk on his face.

"So you two are doing something-"

"Naruto." Sakura cut him off, her head turning to face him, a small glare imprinted on her face. She started swinging her legs harder now, embarrassed.

"Fine, fine...so I assume I can go now? You two are heading off on your date?" Naruto drawled, glancing from Sasuke to Sakura.

But Sakura said nothing, and made no movement. Almost just ignored the question. So Sasuke decided to get some reaction from her.

"Want to join us?" He asked, a smirk on his face, and a sarcastic hint in his voice.

Immediately Sakura's eyes widened and she turned to Sasuke, a pleading look on her face.

"You said it was just going to be us!" Her face twisted into a pouty expression and she crossed her arms, still swinging her legs violently.

A small chuckled escaped his lips and he shrugged. Angrily, she kicked her legs even more furiously and without her arms on the rail for support, she felt herself stumbling back wards until Sasuke's arm wrapped around her waist to hold her up. She glanced at him, blushing, and gave a small 'hmph' in reply.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and then to Sakura. "Just kidding, Naruto. We're going to head over to my place."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she gave Sasuke a deathly look. Clearly, he was just trying to meet Naruto perverted expectations.

He raised his eyebrows, removed his arm from her waist and jumped up. "Just so I can shower."

Naruto started snickering as Sakura reluctantly jumped down and rolled her eyes.

She slowly shut the door behind her and watched as Sasuke walked over to the stairway. He turned and leaned against the wall beside it, facing Sakura.

"I'm going to shower."

She nodded and walked over to his couch, sitting down on it. She sighed and glanced back up at him and his completely bored expression.

"Care to join me?"

She blinked thrice and scoffed at his remark.

He shrugged and peeled off his shirt, clearly trying to tempt her. And for the most part, it was working. She couldn't take her eyes off his defined abs. And as he noticed this, he smirked and placed his hand over his stomach.

"Sakura, you're staring."

She rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to the floor in front of her. After a moment of silence, she heard him sigh.

"Whats wrong?" He asked, his voice not so compassionate as the words themselves. She shook her head and glanced at the clock. It was 8 already.

"Just go shower already." She mumbled softly, turning her gaze to him. His face twisted into a small frown as his eyes met hers. She bit her lip. "You're wasting too much time."

All she could think about was his leaving. She didn't want him to go, and it seemed that the time was drawing nearer and nearer.

They simply stared at each other for a few seconds and then he exhaled a deep breath.

"We're going to be together the whole night." He said calmly, trying to comfort her. But his attempt was futile. Her body stiffened and her eyes started burning. She glanced at the clock again, and back at Sasuke.

"The night's almost over." She said sadly in a soft voice. Her gaze drifted to the floor as she tilted her head down, strands of her hair falling in her face.

Silence.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

She shot her head up and her eyes widened.

"I'll stay up forever then!" She said loudly, leaning forward toward him. A small smile formed on his lips and he ran a hand through his hair. "I'll never fall asleep..." She muttered to herself, feeling her eyes well up. A small chuckled escaped Sasuke's lips.

"I'll go shower." He said softly, turning and walking up the stairs. Sakura watched him until he disappeared and then brought her hands up to rub her eyes. She wasn't crying yet, and she sure didn't want to start. It was hard enough letting him go the first time. And now he was expecting her to do it again. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all.

"So, you'll miss me right?"

"Hn."

"Sasuke..." Her voice was annoyed and aggravated.

"Sure, Sakura." He said, satisfying her question.

He had taken her for a walk around some flower gardens toward the northern gates and then taken her to get ice cream. Now, they were on their way back to Sasuke's, Sakura eating strawberry ice cream and interrogating him, much to his annoyance.

She licked the top of her ice cream cone and grunted.

"You won't be with anyone else...right?"

Yeah, she was pretty much annoying him...but it was okay. He liked being with her, and he had promised her this night. Who was he to ruin it for her? For both of them.

"Oh, of course not. You're my one and only." He said sarcastically, looking off in the opposite direction of the glare she was shooting him.

"Che...Sasuke...I'm serious." She said, stopping in her tracks. He took a step ahead of her and looked back at her, eyebrows raised.

"What makes you think I'm not?" He said smugly, sending chills throughout her body. "Come on." He said, nodding his head in front of him. He started walking ahead, and Sakura took one last lick of her ice cream and threw it in a garbage can over on the sidewalk.

"So...how long will it take you?" She asked, running up by his side. He shrugged. Hearing Sakura sigh next to him, he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

"Be patient, okay?" He muttered, looking down at her. After a moment, she nodded.

"Okay...but...you know...I'd wait forever." She said, looking up at him and squeezing his hand.

All of a sudden, his face turned serious, causing her throat to tighten. He looked back to the street ahead of them.

"Sakura...forever is a long time."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, I know. And that's how long I'll love-"

"Sakura." He cut her off, making her stop in her tracks. She pulled on his arm to stop him, and he turned around slowly, his eyes narrowing.

"What's wrong with forever?" She asked sharply, letting go of his hand.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing."

She grunted. "Then why do you have such a problem with me saying it?"

"It's not a problem."

"Then what?" She spat angrily, noticing an annoyed look crowd his face. After a second or two, she realized she was doing it again. Arguing over nothing. Being stubborn...that's what it was. And it was pointless.

She quickly shook her head and brought her hands up to her face, covering it.

"No...no, I'm sorry. Never mind." Her words were muffled, but Sasuke could hear the sincerity.

Silence.

"Forever's not real." He said weakly, causing Sakura to slowly remove her hands and stare at him, a dumbfound and hurt expression on her face.

"There's no such thing as forever. Everything has a beginning...and an end." He said, holding out his hand to her. She slowly glanced from his hand to his face. A small smirk crawled onto his lips. "But there's no reason not to enjoy the in between."

Her eyes widened and she slowly started walking toward him. Once she reached him, he grabbed her hand and they started walking.

Sure, he had a point. Everything did have an end, just like it all had a beginning. Like the first time she met Sasuke...to the very last time she will see him. But the in between felt all too short. Its so hard to enjoy the in between when you know it's all going to end, and you don't even know when. But in this case...ignorance is bliss. You can't think about the end. Don't reminisce about the beginning. Because you never know where 'now' will end up.

She sat down on his bed and stretched out her arms, yawning. It wasn't really all that late, but she was still tired.

Sasuke shut the door behind him and turned off the light. It wasn't all that dark though, because there was a bright street light right outside his house that flooded his room. He slowly pulled the covers down from his bed, then walked to the end to sit by Sakura.

"You can sleep here tonight."

She shook her head, a smile on her face. "I'm not going to sleep, remember."

She turned her body to face him on the bed. He was sitting closest to the window, his back to it, so his face was darkened by shadows, while hers was illuminated by the street light.

"Not even with me?" He said seductively as a smirk crawled onto his lips. Sakura giggled, shrugging.

"How do you mean that?" She asked, equally seductive. She was sitting on her legs bent underneath her, while Sasuke's legs were hanging off the edge of the bed.

He scooted closer to her, leaned back and placed his arm on the bed behind her, so he was leaning a bit into her.

"However you want, Sa-ku-ra."

The sound of her name on his lips made her shiver.

"You love me, right?" She asked suddenly. He blinked thrice, thinking about her question, then straightened up, his arms now resting at his sides.

"Yeah...why?"

"How much?" She asked, raising her hand to his face. She gently ran her fingers down his jawline, and then across his lips. She then brought her hand back behind his head and tousled his hair.

He took a deep breath. "A lot." He said softly, staring into her eyes. She scooted closer to him, until her knee's hit his sides, and he rested his hand on her upper thigh. He turned his body a bit toward hers and brought his face closer, resting his forehead on hers. He could smell her breath. It smelled like strawberries. He could only imagined how it tasted.

She brought her other hand up and rested it gently against his chest. She then moved her other hand from the back of his head, to the side of his neck.

"A lot, a lot?" She said, teasingly.

He let out a deep, shaky, breath and nodded. "Yeah."

Apparently, the proximity was killing him.

She moved her head to the side of his and whispered in his ear.

"Then show me."

And obviously, that was all he could take. He quickly grabbed the wrist of her hand that was on his chest, and crushed his mouth on hers. Sakura was completely surprised. She hadn't expected him to snap like that. Not Sasuke Uchiha.

He slowly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down onto the bed. They were laying on their sides, one of her hands on his neck, and one of his playing with the hem on her shirt, clearly planning to go up it.

But, much to Sasuke's surprise...and dismay...Sakura broke the kiss and pulled back, staring into his dark, cold eyes.

"I'm begging you...please..."

His eyes widened, his breath heavy.

No, please don't. Right now...he wasn't so sure if he could deny her any request...and he knew exactly what she would ask. And it was because he knew exactly what he wanted...her...that he wouldn't be able to say no.

She swallowed hard, continuing. "...please...stay with me, Sasuke..." Her hand moved from his neck to the side of his face. He closed his eyes, savoring her touch.

Don't say it...don't...Sasuke- DON'T!

But against his will...

He slowly nodded his head, and opened his eyes...seeing Sakura staring at him...eyes pleading...begging for him. Just to be with her.

"Yes...Sakura...I'll...stay. If...I'm with you..." His whispered. A small smile formed on Sakura's face.

She couldn't believe it. But she really had no time to think about it...because seconds after he spoke, his lips met hers once again, and his hand came up to her neck, his thumb gently moving back and forth.

He had every intention to take it further, but all of a sudden...

He heard a sliding noise behind him, and his eyes shot open. But before he could react, he heard a snicker behind him.

A mischievous, familiar snicker.

"Wow, Sasuke...and here I always thought you were gay!"

Now Sakura's eyes shot open. Quickly, Sasuke pulled away, sat up and turned around to see their visitor.

And yeah...to say the least- he was surprised.

"Suigetsu?" He choked out, eyebrows raising. He heard Sakura repeat his name quietly and questioningly, trying to match up his name with somebody. But nobody came to mind. She sat up and stared at the boy sitting on the window ledge.

After a second of registering what was going on, Sasuke face twisted into a dangerous glare.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He shouted.

Immediately, Suigetsu's face turned to a look of alarm and he raised a finger, pointing at Sasuke.

"No, what are you doing!? You said you were coming here to train! Tr-ai-n!" He shouted back, equally as vicious. Sasuke clenched his jaw.

"Yeah...some training you're doing!! You're training your mouth! What...you 'gonna use your mouth to kill Itachi!? I don't think so!" Suigestu spat, turning his head away.

Angry, Sasuke scoffed at his remark. Sakura blinked thrice and exchanged glances between the two boys.

This...Suigetsu guy...looked more like a shark than anything else. And who was he exactly? How did he know Sasuke?

Sasuke groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "So...where's...she?"

Now Sakura's eyes widened. Who the hell was she? She heard Suigetsu snicker and seen him look back at Sasuke, an evil smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah...Karin's 'gonna be pissed when she hears I found you making out with another girl."

Sasuke was now getting terribly angry. And so was Sakura.

"Another girl?" She asked furiously, looking at Sasuke. All of a sudden, the door on the opposite side of the room flew open.

"Damn it...where are you-"

A girl with long, strange looking, red hair, walked into the room...a completely surprised expression on her face. Her mouth was wide open as she stared at Sasuke and Sakura, sitting on the bed.

Sasuke groaned again, louder than before, and Suigetsu snickered again.

"Hey Karin...looks like Sasuke found himself somebody else! Somebody who's not such a bitch!" He said, leaning back against the half open window. The girl in the doorway, Karin, glared at him, and then back at Sasuke.

"Training? You're not actually here for this..." Her eyes ran up and down Sakura, and a look of disgust came upon her face.

Sakura's face twisted into a glare herself. "This...what?"

Karin shook her head. "No...no, I don't believe it. You can't have my Sasuke!" She said, placing her hands on her hips.

But before Sakura could start swearing at this new girl, Sasuke's hand covered up her mouth. He sighed loudly and looked at Karin.

"Karin...shut up."

She rolled her eyes.

"Suigetsu..." His glare now moved to the other visitor in the room. "What are you doing here?"

Suigetsu grinned. "Good news, actually. Akatski's on the move."

Sasuke's eyes widened, and so did Sakura's. But she found herself completely speechless. This wasn't good.

"Just a bit outside this village. It wasn't Itachi...but we figure if we follow them...they will lead us right to him." The red head finished.

Sasuke nodded and felt Sakura push his hand off her mouth. She looked at Sasuke, a scared, but more so confused look on her face. But Sasuke ignored her.

"If we leave now...we'll catch up quickly. Juugo's out in the north, waiting for us." Suigetsu said again.

And thats where the conversation became absolutely unbearable.

"Sasuke." Sakura said firmly, breaking into his thoughts. He turned to look at Sakura, who's face was now slightly angry. After a moment of silence, he sighed.

"Suigetsu, Karin...wait for me outside the village borders tomorrow evening." He said, his eyes never leaving Sakura's. Which was overall, the most painful thing he had ever felt. He seen tears start forming in her eyes, and a look of betrayal come over her face.

Suigestu sighed. "You got it. Hey, four eyes...lets go." He nodded his head to the window.

"Fuck you, Suigetsu!" The red head shouted running over to the window as he jumped out it. She stopped and turned back to Sasuke. "Don't be late, Sa-su-ke."

He nodded as she jumped out the window as well, leaving the two of them alone. And not even a second after Karin exited the room, Sakura started shouting.

"You just told me you'd stay! You lied to me!"

He groaned, feeling a headache coming on. She felt the tears fall from her eyes, but this time she didn't care.

"How could you do that-"

"Sakura...please don't."

She shut her mouth tightly, hoping to avoid saying something she would regret in the future. His eyes turned to hers...and to her surprise...they were sad...cold.

She shook her head softly. "Why...why..."

"I have to do this." He said, his chest burning. This hurt, more than she could ever understand. "I just...got caught up in the moment...when I said that. I can't stay, Sakura. I'm leaving tomorrow. That's that."

She swallowed hard, suppressing the sobs rising in her throat. She felt Sasuke's finger slowly brush away the tears on her cheeks.

"But I'm coming back. After I kill Itachi...I'll come home."

Her shoulders started shaking. She was clearly unsatisfied with his answer. She was just about to say something when-

"You promised me you'd wait forever."

All of a sudden her words left her mouth. Her eyes widened. Yes, she had made that promise.

And as she looked into his eyes...she realized...she was doing it again. Being stubborn. Not everything goes the way we want it to, now does it?

After a moment, she slowly nodded.

No more arguments.

She wiped away the tears falling from her eyes.

No more being stubborn.

She took a deep breath.

No more being weak.

"Then I'll wait." She said firmly, his body relaxing from the tense state it was in. That wasn't what he had expected. She ran a hand through her hair as Sasuke nodded and rested his hand on her other hand.

"I don't want you to wait for me forever." He said slowly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him. She took in another deep breath, smelling his masculine scent.

"Show me forever exists." He whispered, making her melt in his arms.

How...how do I do that, Sasuke?

Little did she know...

That he was so on the edge...if she would have even asked one more time...

He'd have ended up staying.

So with his last few words...it was his only, and final request of her.

"Just love me forever."

Next Chapter: Tears Of The Blue Sky