::I decided to update while our vacation lasts. Updates might be slower in the next chapters…

::So, here's chapter 2… I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2: Changes In The Hidden Leaf

A few days after that night at the hospital, Sasuke and Sakura are now well enough to leave. Naruto invited them to get some ramen – that hasn't changed.

Once at the ramen shop…

"Hey Sasuke! Glad you could make it!" Naruto said with excitement.

Sakura was already there, and so was Kakashi –his former teacher.

"I see you've grown Sasuke. How are things going?" the masked Jonin asked.

"Hn" he replied, but not in the snobbish way, more like acknowledging his presence. He then sat down and began to eat.

"Sasuke-kun! You're back!" they heard a voice from behind them. Turn's out it was Ino Yamanaka, a blonde-haired kunoichi, she was one of Sasuke's many fangirls from before, and Sakura's bestfriend.

"Yeah, I guess I am. You better not get any closer." He replied, as cold and indifferent as ever. He hated fangirls, a LOT.

"Oh, you don't think I'm still one of your mindless fangirls do you? I've grown up." She said proudly. "Besides, Kiba-kun looks way better than you do now. What's up with the dress? You look gay in that you know." Ino adds jokingly. Naruto and Kakashi laugh.

"Ino! Don't be like that!" Sakura barked.

"Only joking! You do know what a joke is right? You were always so serious back then. All you had was good looks and of course your skill. But you should seriously improve in the personality department. Especially after what you did to Sakura-chan" Ino said to Sasuke. She didn't like Sasuke anymore, and she doesn't like what he did to her best friend, even if they were rivals. Ino still says what's in her mind, but this time Sasuke is no exception.

"Hn" was all Sasuke could reply. He couldn't think of anything he could say. He hates being reminded of that night. He hates what he did to Sakura. Besides, he was surprised by how Ino reacted.

Kiba Inuzuka soon arrived with his dog, of course, "Hey Sasuke! Get any closer to her… you die. Me and Akamaru will make sure of that" Kiba adds jokingly. He has also grown, Akamaru has grown a lot, looking more wolf-like now. Kiba knows that Ino has no feelings for Sasuke anymore, what she had was a crush, and they were young. She's not the obsessed-with-how-she-looks type anymore.

"Oh, I don't think so. She's all yours." Sasuke replies, his smugness smothered every word.

Sensing Kiba might take that as an insult to her, she immediately says "Anyway, it seems like you guys are busy catching up. We have to go meet up with Neji and Tenten. Bye!"

"Yeah, bye. See ya soon." Kiba adds as he and Ino begin to leave.

One reaching a few meters away…

"You sure you're okay with that? I think he just insulted you" Kiba asked Ino.

"No, its fine. You know how cold and arrogant he is. Anyway, it was true what he said… I am all yours." Ino said with a smile, and began to hold on to Kiba's arm.

"Well, if you say so… Come on Akamaru!" Kiba replies. And they soon leave.

Back in the ramen shop…

"What the heck was that about?" Sasuke said, out loud.

"Well, Kiba and Ino have been together for a while. A lot has changed since you left Sasuke-kun" Sakura explains.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to notice." He replied. Ino never talked to him like that before. She was always the preppy fangirl type.

"Anyway, me and Naruto have to go. We have a meeting with the Hokage." And Kakashi disappears with a 'poof'. "Bye, enjoy you guys!" Naruto adds before leaving.

"Tell me… what else has changed?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, everyone's gotten older. Gaara's the Kazekage now, Naruto and Hinata are together. So are Shikamaru and Temari. Obvoiusly, so are Tenten and Neji." Sakura answered.

"Do you really think I'm interested in knowing who's dating who?" Sasuke said.

"Well you asked about what has changed! If you wanted reports or something, ask someone else!" Sakura finally raises her voice. She's tired of Sasuke always rubbing her off.

"Sorry. What about you? Don't tell me you're going out with the Maito-Gai look-alike?" Sasuke asked jokingly.

"No." She answered.

"Oh, well who are you seeing?" He asked awkwardly. In truth this was what he was really interested in. He just doesn't wanna admit it.

"No one, not yet. Why do you care anyway?" She replied. She was still heartbroken after that night, but she can't reject the fact that she still had feelings for him.

"Hn. Anyway, no one would wanna go out with you. You're still weak, and you have a huge forehead." He said jokingly. Sasuke was relieved that she wasn't with anyone. He liked Sakura, he always did. He just couldn't admit it.

"EXCUSE ME!?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Sakura exclaimed.

"Oh nothing. You need a good ear-cleaning though." Sasuke loved to pick on her, even back when they were kids.

"Well, you better watch what you're saying. Good-bye" She replied angrily and left.

"I can't believe it! He's still hasn't changed He's still the arrogant ego-maniac that left Konoha three years ago." Sakura thought grudgingly.

"Wow… she's changed. She's actually standing up for herself. Standing up, to me." Sasuke thought. He caught up with her and grabbed her hand.

"Wait Sakura I'm sorry. Come with me." Sasuke said.

"Oh, now you can apologize, you could've done that for what you did three years ago!" Sakura said.

"Oh, come on." Sasuke said, and carried her to the forest, he hated being reminded of that night, he now sees he has to do something about it.

Upon reaching the forest, he laid her on a tree, holding her mouth shut so she would keep quiet.

"Right, first things first. You need to understand that night, three years ago. I needed power, I wanted revenge. I wasn't going to let anyone get in my way. It was everything I thought about. I thought it was my purpose. I lost everything. I wanted it back." Sasuke stated.

"Anyway, I told you we were different. I'm not like you, or Naruto. I'm sorry about how I hurt your feelings, but I was what, like twelve or something? I didn't have any interest in you. Besides, I did say thank you." He took his hand off her mouth, waiting for her reply.

"Didn't I tell you? I would do anything… you could've taken me with you." She said.

"Do you seriously think I would have? Back when we were kids, do you think I would've cared if you loved me? You would just slow me down, and you would get killed if I brought you along." He explained.

"You left without an explanation…" she said.

"You just think I did. I told you everything. You were just to desperate to stop me to see it." He replied.

"But… but…" She gets it now. She couldn't think of anything to reply. She was stuck.

"Anyway… I'm apologizing for that now. It's done, I can't change that, if I could I still wouldn't, I need that power. Just because I'm back doesn't mean I won't take my revenge on my brother. One thing is different though-" he said.

"I'm stronger now. And I can help you. WE can." Sakura intruded.

"I'm the only one who can kill Itachi. You think I wasted three years on nothing?"

"Of course not. I was talking about the Akatsuki. We'll leave your brother up to you."

"Oh, is that all?" He said sarcastically. He hardly thinks others would be of any help, but why not?

"Yeah. We've gotten stronger, if you hadn't noticed." And she suddenly kissed his lips, but only just for a short while, once she realized it, she moved back hastily. "Sorry… sorry… I didn't mean to…"

"Oh my God! Sakura! What have you done! The guy just got here and you jump on him like that?! Oh no! What the heck have I done!?!" Sakura panicked in her mind.

"You have gotten stronger. Oh, and yes, you did mean it." Sasuke said jokingly. He then kissed her again. He actually has feelings for her. Sakura knows that now.

"I knew it! I knew it!!! He was just to shy and to busy to admit it! YEAH!"Sakura was having a party in her mind. She finally got him! After years and years, she finally got him!

Who would've known it would take three years for him to actually admit it, and admitting it after something so simple? That wasn't even his first kiss, well, if we count the one with Naruto when they bumped into each other back at the academy. Sasuke remains as mysterious as ever...

It's true… a lot has changed…

But some things just don't… and it might be better that way...

::Well, there's chapter 2! Hope you liked it!

::Well, at least you guys already know the pairings. I think things are going a bit fast though… anyway, that's better than a really slow one, where nothing ever happens in a chapter. This one basically tells you that the two finally 'fess up…

::Sorry about my messy narrative! It's just sometimes I like to talk back to the TV and say what I think. I kinda did that here too. Hehehe.

::Please review!