Sakura spent her next few weeks with a kind of restless energy. She found that she couldn't concentrate on anything and found herself hating her radio for playing too many romantic songs about relationships that ended to quickly. Although she realised that she was being ridiculous, she couldn't help regret her own outburst at Sasuke all those days ago. She was happy for Hinata, whose own relationship with Naruto seemed to be getting steadily better and Hinata herself said she didn't feel shy around him anymore. She had met up with them on odd occasions and knew that Hinata was happy and Naruto was always very attentive to her even if he did sometimes get caught up in his own enthusiasm for something. Sakura was glad that Hinata had left what Temari had termed "the growing doom of being single" but deep inside she knew she felt a little jealous and irritated when they all met up, as to her, Naruto was just a reminder of Sasuke and her stupid mistake of shouting at him, pushing him too hard.

True to her word Sakura still went to the coffee shop every week - just in case. But she went back to isolating herself with a book, escaping into someone else's world and problems, taking comfort in the fact that by the end of the book all these problems would be resolved not matter what hardship the character faced during the course of the novel. As each day slipped past Sasuke never came, and she heard nothing about him from Naruto or anyone else and they all seemed to assume that her relationship with Sasuke was the same as it was before and Sakura didn't want to enlighten them.

She knew that Ino was busy living with Shikamaru and that everything was going well, despite a few arguments over whose turn it was to wash up, and again Sakura was glad for them. Tenten was busy planning her wedding having finally set a date in the early spring and she was intent of having everything just perfect, apparently driving Neji up the wall. So Sakura spent her time with Temari, her last single friend out of her group at school, the only one who knew of her troubles with Sasuke after they came pouring out after the better half of a bottle of vodka. Temari had cheered her up and insisted that she was too good for him anyway, even though she had never met him.

Tenten dragged her out with Neji and herself but that was just even more depressing than complaining about the state of her love life, of lack of, with Temari. Spending time with Neji and Tenten's group of friends meant that she had to put up with Lee for an evening and although at time's he could be quite the gentleman Sakura found herself hiding behind her old lie of having Kiba as her boyfriend. Luckily he didn't mind and played along, telling Lee about an imaginary date they had been on, although he had told her away from Lee to find herself a real boyfriend to put with this.

Sakura sighed slightly as she entered the coffee shop; it was amazing how much reading she had done in the past weeks and after weeks of Sasuke's disappearance form the shop, although he wasn't one for much talking when they spent time together whether in the coffee shop or somewhere else but they never did any reading either. More than once Sakura had wondered whether Sasuke was quiet because he was shy, or if he didn't say much as when he was with his friends Naruto just filled up the silence with a one-sided conversation.

Sakura joined the back of the slow moving queue for her coffee and scanned the coffee shop, it seemed that the sudden chill in the air had led most people to stop off for coffee and thaw as the shop was almost full. Sakura shook her head slightly as she felt her thoughts return to a time where she had to join Sasuke on a table as it was full. She was getting fed up of the constant reminders of him in her life, if he could so easily walk out of her life she was annoyed that she couldn't she do the same.

Walking up to the till to order, Sakura heard the door open and close and she shivered slightly as a blast of cold air invaded the warmth of the coffee shop.

"Could I have a large coffee please" Sakura asked

"Could you make that two, to go?" A voice cut in behind her.

Sakura turned and was shocked to see Sasuke standing next to her after all these weeks; he gave her an unsure smile as if he wasn't sure if she'd be happy to see him or not as she just stood there her mouth open slightly. His eyes shone slightly as he watched her reaction with some amusement.

"Want to go somewhere more interesting?" Sakura couldn't help it, she just stared at him, after all these weeks her turned up without warning and expected her to act as if nothing had happened?

Just before Sakura opened her mouth to let her anger out something stopped her. Sasuke was watching her with a guarded expression in his eyes almost as if he expected her to get angry. Sakura remembered her conversation with Naruto and her more recent one with Itachi, she wondered if Sasuke, who was seen as a disappointment in his family's eyes, was used to people unleashing their anger on him, or to them disappointing him, she wondered how much courage he had to gather to even approach her.

Sakura gave him a slight smile.

"Sure, but I doesn't mean I've forgiven you just yet." She said and before Sakura could react Sasuke had paid for both their drinks and led her out the shop with her coffee and he took her out into the cold wind as the last few days of winter desperately tried keep its hold on the city.

Sakura followed Sasuke a few paces behind, she walked quickly to catch up with him so they were walking, more or less, side by side for a change. As usual Sasuke walked ahead and Sakura had to dodge round people in order to stay near him. She caught his eye and smiled slightly. He didn't offer her any apology for his absence and Sakura suddenly found she didn't need one, the fact that he was back seemed good enough for her. She smiled slightly and chanced a sip of her coffee as she walked quickly to keep up with Sasuke's long strides.

"Where's more interesting then?" She asked but Sasuke just shook his head.

"Secret." He said simply and quickened his pace.

"Hey, that's not fair." Sakura protested as she dashed to keep up with him, trying to hold the lid of her coffee so she wouldn't spill any. "At least give me a hint."

"You've been there before." Sasuke said over his shoulder at her, Sakura stared at him trying to figure out where he meant when suddenly he grabbed her free hand and pulled her across the road.

Sakura looked up at the tall building in front of them, her mouth formed an 'o' shape as she realised where they were headed.

"The roof?" She asked and Sasuke gave her a quick smile as he pushed the doors open to let them in.

Just like before the man, Kakashi, sat there reading and Sakura smiled at the familiarity of the scene. Kakashi glance up from his book.

"Oh? Sasuke it's you, and you've brought your lady friend back." Sasuke rolled his eyes at this statement and Sakura gave a small wave. "I'm guessing you two are heading on up then," Sasuke nodded. "I see," Kakashi turned another page in his book and that seemed to be the end of the conversation.

Sakura followed Sasuke up the concrete staircase, their footsteps echoed in the silence and in no time at all they reached the door to the roof.

"You must come here a lot Sasuke, to be that familiar with him." Sakura commented indicating down the flights of stairs towards Kakashi, Sasuke shrugged slightly as he opened the door.

"I guess, but it's a good place to come to think." Sakura nodded her agreement as she followed Sasuke out into the open air and toward the edge.

They stood next to each other on the roof in silence, the wind tugging at their clothes and despite the warmer weather Sakura was glad of her coffee keeping her hands warm as she drank. Sasuke, at ever, seemed oblivious to the cold.

"You know," Sasuke said hesitantly, "I could always skip the rest of work today." His offer hung temptingly in the air between them.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't do that." He turned slightly so he could see her out the corner of his eye.

"Do you always do what you're supposed to?" He asked and Sakura gave him a small smile.

"Well, I've always been told I shouldn't talk to strangers and I started talking to you." Sakura teased, there was a slight pause and she sighed, "I'd love to spend more time with you but I don't want you getting into trouble Sasuke."

Sasuke shrugged and turned away to look across the city, he leant against the wall around the edge of the building.

"Besides," Sakura continued, "We would have had more time together if you hadn't been so stubborn and come to see me earlier." Sakura looked down at her empty coffee cup, playing with the lid. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sasuke sharply turn to face her, his eyes narrowed slightly and she could feel the intensity of his gaze on her. .

Sakura turned to face him so she could look him directly in the eye.

"Stubbornness," She insisted and he took a step towards her, Sakura took a step back. She giggled slightly. Sasuke gave her a questioning look that made Sakura laugh even more as he stepped forward again. Sakura took a few quick steps back so they were even further apart than before. He gave her a slight smile and set down his coffee cup, Sakura wondered briefly whether she'd ever see him smile properly, but all thought of Sasuke's potential good humour fled when he ran towards her, Sakura gave a slight shriek and ran in the opposite direction. She kept running, hearing Sasuke's footsteps behind her, Sakura ran faster and hid behind a ventilation fan on the roof, her hand over her mouth to stop her laughter.

"Found you." Sasuke said softly in her ear and before Sakura could react he seized her round the waist so she couldn't run any further. Sakura turned round in his arms and gave him a broad smile.

"Shame I was starting to enjoy myself," Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"Were you?" Sakura found herself returning to her earlier thoughts

"Smile for me." Sasuke frowned at her.

"What?"

"Smile for me," She repeated, "A real genuine smile." She reached out and put a hand on the side of his face, his check felt cool to her touch, "please?"

"And why would I do that?" Sasuke asked leaning towards her, Sakura stood on tiptoe so she could almost look him in the eye without tilting her head back.

"Because I want you to." He leant his forehead on hers.

"So?"

"And because…" Sakura's heart was hammering in her chest as Sasuke moved his arms so she was pulled even closer to him.

"Because?" He prompted but Sakura's mind had gone blank.

"Um...because.." Sasuke's gaze flicked down to her lips and Sakura closed her eyes.

"Yes?" He said softly, his lips were inches from hers.

There was a loud crash behind them as the door to the roof swung open and hit the wall behind.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi called and they sprung apart both of them trying not to look guilty.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked when Kakashi had come across them he sounded surprisingly composed as Sakura's heart was still racing.

"You're father phoned, apparently you're needed back early." Kakashi said and Sasuke frowned.

"Why?" He asked and Kakashi shrugged

"He didn't say, and when I called and asked Naruto I didn't really understand his answer, he sounded like he was panicking." Sasuke glanced at Sakura.

"I better go," He muttered and Sakura nodded. "If Naruto's getting hysterical it probably means that my brothers doing God knows what to people." Sakura offered him a slight smile.

"Then I'll see you next week?" Sasuke paused and then nodded before heading towards the door leaving Sakura standing with Kakashi.

"Unfortunate timing was it?" He asked innocently and Sakura glared at him.

"What makes you think that?" She spat and made her own way back across the roof to go home.