Hello once again! Sorry it's so late. I did a lot of work on it. Just so you know, all of the lines (except for the very end) are actually from the manga. You can check if you want. I hope you enjoy. R&R!

Chapter 3

A dark room, which was so neat and organized loomed around me. I stood by the window in the silver moonlight. Wait a minute, I thought, this isn't my apartment. I was in Sasuke's old place. My perception of Sakura was quickly fading, and soon I was just Sasuke.

I stared at the picture encased in a wooden frame, sitting on my window. Team 7. Me, the fangirl, the perverted teacher, and the baka. I needed to forget them. They would only hold me back. But…I didn't want to forget them. My hand reached out and gently set the frame so the faces of my comrades were facing the ground. At least my body knew what it had to do. Then I left the apartment without a glance back.

I walked towards the massive gates of Konoha, but as I neared them I saw a lone girl standing there. Waiting. I stopped. Darn it! All she will do is complicate my plan. I guess it was stupid of me to think that I could leave here without someone trying to stop me. So I stood a few feet away from the girl and said, "It's the dead of night…what are you doing out here?" I knew the answer but I asked anyways.

"This road is the only way out of the village. So I've been keeping watch." She said, her expression sad. I hated when she got like that. It was so annoying. I wondered why I cared for her. She was the most annoying person I ever met.

"Just go to bed." I told her in the coldest voice I could. With that, I strode past her quivering form. I could hear the plat of her tears hitting the ground. She is such a crybaby, I thought.

"Why don't you ever tell me anything?" She asked. I stopped. "Why do you have to be so silent? Why can't you just…let me in?" She had turned to face me.

"Like I said, my business is none of yours. Just leave me alone." I didn't look at her. She didn't reply to that. There was a silence. I was about to start walking when she spoke.

"You always act like I'm bugging you…but remember…" She trailed off. I said nothing and she picked back up, voice stronger now. "Back when we became genin…the day the announced our three man cell…it was right here. You were here with me, alone, the first time… Remember how you blew up at me?" She was quiet, remembering. She was a fangirl, and fangirls always came back. What is didn't understand was why they always came back. It was a mystery to me.

"No, I don't remember that…" I said. I knew I was being cruel, but I was anxious to leave before others could see and come to try and stop me from leaving.

"Heh…Of course. Well, it was a long time ago." I said nothing. "But that's when it started, Sasuke. You and me…Naruto and Master Kakashi…" She trailed off again. She was getting really annoying. "The four of us, on so many missions. It was rough, sometimes…and there's no way you could call it easy, but…when you get down to it… It was fun." She was silent, then, "Sasuke…I know the deal with your clan. But revenge, just for it's own sake…that won't make anyone happy. Not you, Sasuke…not me either…"

I interrupted her before she could say anymore. "I knew it. I'm not like you people…I'm on a different path from the rest of you. Yeah, we all worked together for a while. Sometimes I told myself our paths all led to the same place. Maybe we were a team, once. But now, I choose revenge. That's all I've lived for." She could never understand my need to kill my brother. He had killed my whole family! I could never forgive that. I had to avenge my clan. "I can never be like you or Naruto."

Her tears started to fall again. Then she exclaimed, "So that's it, you're choosing the lonely path? Remember how you showed me what it means to be lonely?! Well, now I understand. It's all painfully clear to me." Her voice was started to fail her. "I've…I have family, and friends…But Sasuke, if I lose you, I…I'll be…I will be very lonely."

The images of my friends flashed through my mind. Naruto's goofy grin and determined blue eyes and Sakura, with her beautiful pink hair and piercing emerald green eyes. "We're each starting off on a new path…they're just different, is all."

"I'm…I'm so in love with you that I can't even stand it! Sasuke! Stay with me, and I'll never let you regret it! We'll have fun every day and…and you'll be happy! I'll make sure of it! I'll do anything for you Sasuke! Just please… please, please don't go!" I remained silent as she continued, "I'll even help you take revenge! I mean, I'll manage it somehow, so…so please…stay with me. If you can't then…maybe I can go with you?"

Her sobs were getting louder and pleas were getting more desperate, so I decided to play my last card before having to get past her by force. Turning halfway back to the shaking girl, I said, "You… make me sick." Her face was a mixture of surprise and hurt. Good, I thought, pain makes a person stronger.

I had started to walk away when she shouted after me, "Don't you leave me! One more step and I'll scream…" She never got to finish her sentence because I had disappeared and reappeared behind her.

"Sakura…" I bit my lip before continuing, "Thank you." Sakura began to tremble just before I knocked her out, and her limp body fell into my awaiting arms. Laying her on the stone bench I brushed the hair away from her eyes.

I leaned down and whispered into Sakura's ear, "Become strong, Sakura, and you'll become useful. Who knows, maybe I'll have a use for you later on. We'll meet again when that time comes."

And then everything faded to black.


Cheesy, I know. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be out next week or so. This one was so late because I changed a lot from the initial draft. Stay tooned and don't forget to leave a nice little review. :D