_._Sasuke_._

I'm such a fool to think that she was going to talk to me. Usually she was the one who started the conversation. In the last three days I've been running near her side, I've been watching her and I know she saw me. When she sleeps I watch her breathe. Even if we only sleep four hours a night, I prefer to lose them on her. She's just to wonderful to go to waste. I could watch her forever, and I guess I do. I don't even care about this mission at all. I know she sees how much damage she causes to my mind, body and soul.
Damn, I'm starting to talk like Juugo.

_._Sakura_._

That jerk!
Not only does he NOT have the courage to come to me and apologize but he also stares at me like I'm his dinner or something. He did try to talk I admit, but I was just too interested in what Shikamaru had to say, that I simply forgot he was watching us trying to get our attention by running from a tree to another more sophisticated than he usually does. C'mon now, I was stunned by the fact that Shikamaru can check mate in just 15 moves (actually, I was pretending to be found of this, I was secretly watching Sasuke of course…).

I'm trying to get him out of my mind but it's effortless. I can't stop loving him no matter how hard I try to hate him. He can't stop hating me no matter how hard I try to hate him back.

They had been on the run for three days now and the Mist was just hours away. They hadn't rested properly since the mission had started and Sasuke had been his own bussines to attend to, sleeping not being one fo them (he had his own selfish reasons).

They didn't have any problems with other ninja which was kinda boring. Shikamaru lazed even more and Naruto was losing patience.

That evening they managed to hand the scrolls to the Jounin chief from the Mist and they denied the friendly invitation to spend the night there. They needed to get back to Konoha and time was short. Starting from tomorrow, they only had three more days.
As they ran back towards Konoha, they realized how tired they were.

"C'mon guys, couple of hours won't hurt, right?" Shikamaru tried his luck.

"Yeah, you're right… we could rest a little!" Naruto approved.

"I guess." Sakura admitted.

"Hn." Sasuke grinned as he realized he could finally try to talk to her, if he had the courage.

-After setting the campfire and the sleeping bags-

Naruto was long asleep in his sleeping bag near the fire while Shikamaru was lying on the grass counting the stars so that he would fall asleep faster.

Sakura tried taking his example, but from where she was standing, that was behind a thick three's bark, she couldn't see a thing. She sighed slowly, closing her eyes and sliding a little down so that she would be in a more comfortable position. She felt a pair of eyes watching her and when she looked around she saw Sasuke standing in front of her, with his hands on the ground, his face breathing heavily a couple of inches away from her own.

She looked around realizing that Shikamaru had fallen asleep as well.

'Oh boy, this is gonna be fun…' she sighed for herself.
'Why the long face?' her Inner asked curiously.
'Oh, maybe because he's gonna tell me how much of a drag I've been on this mission or how much I still annoy him by not even saying a word to him or…'
'Wait up! I bet this isn't somethin' he'll say! Just be calm and breathe slowly and then…'
'Shut up, I got it!' she screamed for herself, forcing her Inner to back down.

"Um, Sasuke…yes?" she asked trying to keep her calm as she got up a little, with her back against the three.

"I wanted to ask you something." He said still in front of her.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"Sakura, you know I don't usually wait." He smirked as he backed of a little thinking it was making her uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I know…" she smiled turning down her head a little. "So…"

"Sakura." He whispered turning his head down as well. The way he said her name made her shiver and that gave him faith. "How come you don't use the 'kun' to my name anymore?"

She was shocked. Of all the things he could say, this was the shittiest she had expected.

"I just…I…" she said through her teeth.

He realized that she was angry. But he also knew it was either now or never.

"Sakura, I'm sorry…"

She turned her head towards him in disbelief. He was serious. His onyx eyes had never been more profound and more tamed than now.

"…for everything." He added, turning away from her. He got up but she stopped him with her hand on his shoulder.

"You…mean it?" she asked in doubt.

"When it comes to those I care about, I always do."
She brushed his hand away from him, this time he was the one to shiver.

"Try to get some sleep. We're leaving early." He said as he went to the fire and sat down.
"Yeah. Good night…" She smiled as she cuddled near the three again. "Sasuke-kun." She just hoped he didn't hear her whisper. Too bad he was already smirking.

_._Sakura_._

I can't believe what just happened. How could he think that I could get some sleep now that he's told me that he cares about me?!

He sometimes doesn't even judge. That's why I love him so.

And how can he think I can sleep now when I was simply stunned by his glorious dark tamed eyes? That's why I love him so.

And, c'mon now, how can he possibly think that I can sleep when he just did what he did? That's why I love him so.

I'll never be able to get him out of my mind! I just tried and I tried and I continue to try but he's starting to make things difficult. And he is just so darned handsome and gorgeous and sweet and… well… he is way hot…

Now, how can he possibly think that I'll be able to shut an eye tonight? With what just happened? With his beautiful figure in my mind? With his frozen yet warm eyes still in my broken heart?

_._Sasuke_._

It wasn't so hard. I mean I told her at least a part of what I feel.

I never thought it would be possible but I was actually intimidated by her.

How could she be so chilled? I thought for a second that she would faint. But she definitely didn't and she was real calm. But her eyes!

God dammit those eyes! I love the way they watch me, the way they shine when she is blushing or when she is anxious, scared or thrilled.

I know that a perfect world lies in her eyes, those emerald jewels.

Then there is her soft skin, skin so warm yet so cold, skin white like the dead. How can I mention her lips? That curved line of her lips makes me regret I didn't kiss her tonight.

They were light red like roses but I bet they taste even better.

To be honest, what completely drove me out of my mind when I tried to talk to her was her smell. Passion fruit and cherries are her essential sent, but I could definitely feel raspberry and green apples too. I am surprised I managed to hold down my wish of kissing her neck, tasting her, holding her. I hope I didn't show how much she turned me on.

She's killing me.

And she's keeping me alive.

I don't know what to believe any longer. I just don't. for once (ok, second time), I'm blocked. My moves are counted. My heartbeats are devoting my whole body.
And by the way. She called me 'Sasuke-kun' again.

They all woke up early next morning, even though Naruto wanted to spend at least five more hours sleeping under his cozy sleeping bag. He sighed and packed his stuff quickly as his teammates were already up and ready for the journey.

He realized that Sakura looked more confident, a shy blush was covering her white cheeks while Shikamaru just looked as bored as ever.

But he also recognized the fact that even Sasuke looked changed. He had the same indifferent face as always but his eyes looked way brighter.

'What the heck?' Naruto thought to himself 'What's up with them?'

Midday came and went; the forest was just the same.

Same kind of trees.

The same leaves.

The smell as well: the same.

What the hell, even the moist was just as common.

Banality. No surprise they were all bored.

"Hey, Sakura-Chan, wanna play a game?" Naruto tried to enlighten the atmosphere.

"What game?" she asked uninterested as she jumped from tree to tree.

"I don't know what it's called but I think of something and you gotta guess what I'm thinking of."

"I'm not six years old anymore, Naruto, sorry, maybe when I'm really desperate I may say yes, but right now I am trying not to hit you real hard."

"Oh, ok… then we can play this game, 'Punch you punch me' or something…"

"Shut up, Naruto, I'm fed up with it already!" Shikamaru articulated.

"Man, boring people…" Naruto muttered under his breath as he approached Sasuke who was smirking thinking if dobe was getting more stupid or smarter as time went by. "I don't get it, teme…what's up with them?"

"Hn, maybe it's your face, have you thought about it?"

"MY face? MY face?! How sick are you? Have you seen your own face? You're like glowing or something…"

"Shut up." Sasuke threatened.

"Why? Did something happen and I don't know?"
"None of your business, dobe."

"We don't call ourselves friends for nothing, so spit it out."

"It's nothing!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"You're sure?"
"Way sure, now shut up or I'm gonna break your face!" Sasuke intimidated again.

"Oh, ok I get it, you don't want to talk about Sakura, I understand." Naruto grinned wildly as he jumped in front of his friend and rushed his pace so that Sasuke wouldn't cut of his head.

Sasuke almost froze. 'How did he know?'

He then realized Naruto only fooled around. Behind his acid jokes he seemed to know what was going on.

_._Shikamaru_._

We're only an hour away from the leaf. It's the seventh day and the sun is almost about to set.

Mendoksai, I swear I'm never gonna go on a mission with these guys ever again. Firstly, Sasuke and Naruto, even if they have matured a lot, they're still a huge pain in the ass. Sakura looks way bored and tired, I agree, we haven't slept in the past three days not even minutes. At least we're gonna get back in time and then we can rest as long as we want.

________________________________________________________________________

As they only had half an hour left, they didn't realize the presence that was persisting from the trees behind them. They we're all exhausted, tired and pissed of.
They realized something move under them as they saw as the trees were flying under their feet.

"Do you feel this?" Shikamaru asked.

"Hai, I do…" Sakura approved.

"Hn."

"What're ya talkin' 'bout?" Naruto asked puzzled. He wasn't in his sage mode; the lack of chakra was evident to all of them.

"Someone is down there." Sasuke pointed to the ground as they all stopped on a thick branch to get some air.

"What's going on over hereeee…!" Sakura left her sentence unfinished as the branch exploded and they were attacked rapidly by a bunch of masked ninja.

Shortly after the first attack, they had each and every one of them at least two opponents to deal with. They weren't separated, they just couldn't act as a team right now, and the numbers were unfair.

Naruto was gladly dealing with three 'assholes' as he liked to call them, Shikamaru had one down of two, Sakura was already punching both of her enemies into a thick tree while Sasuke was being assaulted by five at once.

As he was using his katana to block their attacks, he took one down leaving the rest of them in anger and fury.

As he knocked another two down, he did a big mistake. He turned his back to the other two who charged without thinking towards him.

Sasuke didn't realize what was going on, but Sakura had already made her attacking plan.

She stepped in front of Sasuke and blocked their furious blows of kunai and shuriken.

Some had hit her, but she took no matter to them, only a low sob. Sasuke then turned around to find her defending him and he took in the fact that she was once more fighting to protect him. Again, he felt like a scumbag.

"Back of, Sakura, I can take care of this!" he tried as she was already delivering punches to her enemies.

"I can see it." She said amused as she hit one of her foes into a tree.

She was panting hard but at least she had fun doing this.

The last ninja standing (besides the ones Shikamaru and Naruto dealt with) was panting even harder than Sakura. He looked like wild, his mask was torn, and so were his clothes. But he quickly pulled from behind his back a strange weapon and pointed it to Sakura. She could see that a purple juice was running down its blades and she understood what it was: 'Poison.'

Sasuke was too late. He tried to step between her, or pull her aside, but the enemy was faster. He threw his weapon towards the girl and he didn't miss his target.

Sakura fell to the ground and screamed as she tried to pull the darn weapon out of her abdomen. The ninja laughed slowly and cried delightfully.

"See, bitch? That's what you get for killing my team-mates! You'll die in no time; you hardly have 20 minutes…"

But the guy didn't even finish his sentence. Sasuke had already stabbed him with his katana.

As he pulled his sword out from the dead mans body, which fell lifelessly to the ground, Sasuke rushed towards Sakura and tried to pull her on to her feet.

"Aaaaghhh!!!" she cried into his chest. His hands were supporting her around her waist trying not to push the sword even more inside her stomach.

"Can you move?" he asked struggling not to sound worried, with no result as expected.
"Damn, I can't even stir…" she sobbed.
"I gotta get you to Tsunade, fast." He stated as he lifted her from the ground avoiding her stabbed zone. "Hang on to me." He said determined as she effortlessly tried to move her hands towards his neck.

"I can't…" she whispered before she lost her conscious.

He used the worst swearing words he had in mind at that point. He shouted towards Naruto and Shikamaru that he was going towards Konoha to get Sakura a doctor, while they approved trying to avoid the attacks from the last three masked ninja's.

As he jumped from tree to tree at his top speed, he looked down at Sakura realizing that she had been real stupid to jump in to save him. Did she really think that he'd go on with his life if he lost her? He really thought that she was smarter than this.