Chapter 14: Back to Me

Sakura opened her eyes slowly. Her eyesight was blurry and she rubbed her eyes again. She looked at the surroundings. She was in a room with pink wallpaper and some flower designs. She was lying down on what seems to be a patient's bed. The place looked familiar but she couldn't identify it. She looked outside the window and saw nothing but pure white.

She coughed softly and someone rushed to her, upon hearing the noise. "Sakura-chan! You're awake! Wait till I tell Master Tsunade!" the voice exclaimed. It took awhile for Sakura to identify him. It was Naruto. "N-naruto… Naruto-kun…" Sakura called softly. Naruto stopped abruptly as he was about to step out of the room. He returned by Sakura's bed.

"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, trying to be cheerful. "W-where am I?" Sakura asked weakly, still observing the surroundings. "At Konoha Medical Hospital. It's a long story how you arrived here. But Sakura? You beat Itachi! You killed him!" Naruto cheered. Sakura's eyes grew bigger but she felt speechless. Killed Itachi? Impossible.

"N-Naruto-kun…??? I feel so weak… Where is Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked immediately, remembering him. Naruto went on a sad face for a while. "Um… Master Tsunade will be the one to explain." That was all that Naruto could answer. "Where is Master? I want to speak to her." Sakura said. "But you are still weak, Sakura-chan." "Please, Naruto-kun? I beg you… I really need to talk to her…" Naruto couldn't do anything and simply nodded. He looked to find Master Tsunade.

Sakura tried sitting upright at her bed but she obviously couldn't. She was simply so weak. But as she was trying to do so, someone knocked on her door. "Come in, please." Sakura said softly. Ino, Tenten, Hinata and Temari came in. Her friends!

"I'm glad to see you…" Sakura said. They all brought flowers and placed it on the empty flower vase sitting on the bedside table. "So are we! You are such a hero, Sakura!!! I admire you so much. How did you do it?" Ino cheered. The three also expressed their praises.

"I-I don't know… Did I really kill Itachi? I don't believe it." Sakura said, now smiling. "You did. I thought you were so weak before but now, you are so strong! I adore your courage." Temari praised. Wow, a praise form Temari. She barely admires people, Sakura thought.

"But I wouldn't be able to do that if Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, Master Tsunade and Sasuke didn't fight. I wouldn't be able to do it alone." Sakura muttered humbly. "But you did the finishing touch! You are so strong, Sakura! I am so shy now when I'm with you…" Tenten said.

"No, Tenten. Don't think that way. I'm not superior or anything… I just… fought for my love for Sasuke…" Sakura replied sadly. The other girls glanced at nodded at each other with understanding. Sakura looked away, at the window. It still made her think why the window was so white.

"Ino…? Why is the window so white?" Sakura asked stunningly. The girls looked again at each other. Ino held Sakura's hand gently. "Sakura…? It's snowing." Ino finally said. Sakura smiled widely and tears formed in her eyes again.

"The prophecy came true, Sakura. When the stone-hearted learns to love and fights till the bitter end, it will snow again. You and Sasuke made it come true…" Hinata said gladly. Tenten opened the window for Sakura. The cold breeze filled the room. "The snow is so cold… It soothes me…" Sakura said, sobbing a little. Sasuke really do love her, and it was no dream like he told her.

"You know Sakura? You really deserve Sasuke. You and he are meant for each other and I'm glad you really found your true feelings. I hope you will be together for your whole lives." Ino said with both a tone of sadness and happiness. "You're sad too, aren't you?" Sakura said.

Ino smiled as she thought about it. "Yeah, I admit that I'm sad because I had always loved Sasuke since the very start and now I found that my best friend and former rival took him away. But now I clearly understand everything. I am glad for both of you and I can accept the truth. Take care of him well, Sakura." Ino said. She hugged Sakura gently.

After a few more moments, Master Tsunade finally arrived at the room with Naruto and Kakashi behind her. "How are you, Sakura?" Tsunade asked as she approached Sakura. Ino made way for them to talk. "I-I'm feeling a bit fine now, Master." Sakura mumbled softly.

Master Tsunade sat down on the chair beside the bed. "I guess you used the purple chakra, didn't you?" She asked Sakura, as she brushed her student's beautiful long pink hair. Sakura nodded, and let out a small smile. Tsunade had always given her sermons and reminders about not using the purple chakra for it always has bad and sustained effects on the user. Sakura knew that it would take a long time for her to get well and have her full strength back, but she didn't think of those consequences when she was fighting.

"You are very brave, Sakura. You deserve to be honored. Konoha will be free from dreadful and wicked enemies for a long time. Thank you, Sakura." Tsunade said. Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Oh, Master. You sound like I'm some hero. Don't be like that." She teased.

"No Sakura, I'm serious. You really are a hero and now I can say that you are really a fully-pledged medical ninja. But we have to inform the public first. I'll arrange the celebration." Tsunade said. Sakura smiled sheepishy again.

"Anyway, if you wonder why the others knew late that Itachi was there outside fighting with us, I found out that he used some air potion or such to make them all sleep so they wouldn't be able to fight." Tsunade added. Sakura nodded and thought how wicked and smart Itachi is.

"Master Tsunade? Where is Sasuke? How is he? Tell me that he's okay." Sakura said worriedly. Tsuande smiled at her with understanding. Now she wasn't sure of telling Sakura the truth especially now that she and Sasuke found their love for each other. "You have to accept this, Sakura." Tsunade said seriously. Sakura paid attention.

"Sakura… Sasuke is alive. It's just that he overused his body's capacity that he wasn't able to take the damage from Itachi's technique. And he also wasn't able to stand the bad effects the Chidori caused him. You knew that Sasuke isn't yet completely healed when we allowed him to study in school and he already used his techniques. I gave him a warning against using techniques and what I am afraid of just happened." Tsunade swallowed hard.

"Sasuke is not here." Tsunade continued. "I ordered some jounins, ANBUs and medical ninjas to take him to a faraway village and search for the cure. He has body is in a serious critical state right now and he has to drink this certain potion that could be found in some village faraway from Konoha. But if the cure isn't found…" Her voice vanished away sadly.

"What? What will happen to Sasuke if the cure isn't found???" Sakura exclaimed worriedly and anxiously. "He might die." Tsunade mumbled softly. Sakura cried. The others gasped. "No! He won't die! I know he will come back for me. He said he will fight till the end!!!" Sakura cried. They all felt sorry for her.

"It only snows in Konoha three times in a year. If Sasuke doesn't go back, in the third time it will snow, then unfortunately what I've just said will come true." Tsunade added sadly. The snow once again… Why does it always have to determine Sasuke's fate? Sakura thought. She has to wait for a long time.

The pain came back to Sakura. It was both the pain in her heart and in her joints, which was caused by using the purple chakra. That was the time she needed Sasuke the most. Where is he now? Where is he now that I needed him to ease the pain I am feeling? Sakura thought.

Sakura cupped her hands to her face. She could no longer endure the pain. Everyone felt so sorry about her. Naruto hugged Sakura tightly, trying to give her the comfort she needed. Sakura didn't struggle and dwelled in his arms. After recovering, Sakura tried speaking again.

"You know what? I believe my Sasuke-kun will come back for me. I believe in him and I will always be waiting for him no matter how long it takes. I know someday he will back... And that is all I want… for him to be back home… back to me…" Sakura said weakly.

Ino and Tenten cried and felt touched about Sakura's words. Even Tsunade wiped a tear from her face. Temari and Hinata smiled at her with understanding. This is true love, Kakashi thought.

"Yes, we believe in Sasuke. He will come back for Sakura no matter what. If he came back for her when he left, now I'm sure he will again." Ino assured everyone. They all agreed with her and nodded. I hope Ino's really right. We'll wait for you, Sasuke, Tsunade thought.

-after a few minutes-

Master Tsunade and Kakashi left saying they have some business to do. Ino said she had to go to the flower shop since no one was in charge of that and Hinata wanted to help her. Temari said she had to go back to clean the Sound house while Tenten said she wouldn't leave the hospital, but would like to get some fresh air. Naruto was the only one who was left in Sakura's room. He had promised himself that he will always be by her side to take care and comfort her.

"Naruto-kun…? You aren't leaving?" Sakura asked. Naruto shook his head and smiled at her. "I won't leave you. I will always be here for you." He assured. Sakura smiled satisfyingly and gladly. "Thank you, Naruto-kun." She replied.

Silence fell between them. Sakura gazed out of the window while Naruto was simply studying the designs on Sakura's bed sheet. "Sakura-chan…? May I ask you a question?" Naruto asked politely. Sakura shifted her gaze to Naruto, and nodded.

"Saku-chan, do you really love Sasuke?" Naruto asked. Then suddenly, Sakura remembered. All this time all she thought about was Sasuke and how much they love each other. She completely forgot all about Naruto and she felt so guilty. She didn't want the first-day-at-the-ship incident to happen again. She didn't know what to answer for she really didn't want to hurt Naruto.

Naruto smiled at himself. "I guess you don't need to answer that. I know you still love him, right?" He said. Sakura nodded sadly. "Naruto-kun… I'm really sorry about it. I'm sorry if I hurt you and pretended all this time that I completely forgot about Sasuke. It's just… just hard to forget all about him. But Naruto-kun? I am very thankful that you are always here for me and you never stopped loving me. I hope you can forgive me…" Sakura explained sadly.

"I understand, Sakura-chan. I have always known that you always loved Sasuke and I hope you know it's hard to pretend that I don't know. Sometimes, I want to believe that I was the one you loved but I know it is only in my dreams that that can happen. But I'm thankful that you gave me a chance to love you and for you to be mine even for a little while. I will never forget our memories together…" Naruto said, as he reminisce all his joyful memories with Sakura.

"So do I. I will never forget all the memories we shared and you know what, Naruto-kun? Whenever I'm with you, my sadness fades away. You always create a smile on my face. You always cheered me up whenever I'm feeling down and whenever I think of the pain Sasuke caused me. But I hope you are happy for me now…" Sakura said with a smile on my face.

"I am very happy for you and Sasuke. Well actually, I'll try to be. It's hard too, you know. I will love you still, Sakura and I hope you will not forget that. We're still friends, right?"

"We'll always be friends, Naruto-kun. I will always treasure our memories together. I'm thankful for having you."

"So I am blessed to have you. I'll always be here for you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura hugged Naruto tightly. She was glad that for once in her life she gave herself a chance to be with Naruto once. Sakura wouldn't forget her memories that she shared with him. He had been so important to her all those years Sasuke was gone. Naruto was the one who eased Sakura's pain and made her forget about him – for a little while. Now that Naruto has to let go, it was hard for him too. Since they were in Ninja Academy, he had always admired, crushed and loved Sakura so much. He always thought that she was the perfect, most beautiful girl in the world. That was another reason his rivalry grew intense with Sasuke.

But now that Sasuke loves Sakura too, Naruto learned that he must be happy for them and let go of his feelings for Sakura. He knows that letting go does not actually set him free from his feelings, but the pain he has always felt that Sakura really loves Sasuke. He knew had to be happy with his life and then, find a person who would really return his love. Naruto hoped for that too.

But for now, Naruto wished Sasuke and Sakura complete happiness all their lives.