Disclaimer: I own Naruto.

Chapter Six: The Other Choice

"Real love can last forever. The only problem is you have to take care of it, or it'll fade."

"You're in love with him aren't you?"

Silence greeted the question the raven haired man posed.

"Sakura, you need to answer me. Hearts aren't toys you can't just play with them as you please," a hint of irritation made its presence know in his voice.

"Really Sasuke? You were marching to a different beat not so long ago," she replied coldly.

The wrinkles in the young man's forehead tightened at the reference to their dark past.

"Is this what this is about? I thought you moved on..."

"Moving on doesn't warrant forgetting, you should know that," she remained tightly wound on the stone bench five feet away from him.

Her hair danced in the wind, she didn't even wince when stray strands met with her eyes. Instead she brushed them away and noted the lush garden she sat in the middle of. It had taken a year to grow, a year to care for, a year to love and nurture. She had hoped that their love would be as this garden was, beautiful and rich with life. However, to her dismay, it was limp and lifeless. After a few months she had grown tired of their relationship, he bored her. It was as if the color of love had been sucked out and replaced with shades of black and white. A year, such a long time to tend to such a tedious relationship.

"Do you love him?" He pressed.

Sakura tilted her head up to meet his gaze, hand connected to her forehead to alleviate her eyes from the stress of the sunlight.

Without hesitation she replied, "More than anything you have to offer me."

Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pocket and broke her gaze. Staring down at the dirt and soil that littered the grounds he contemplated. He had never been one for emotions, but they always seemed to sneak their way back into his life. They had never been the textbook definition of the perfect couple, in fact they were mediocre at most. He'd known from the very start their relationship would be fragile and would take more energy than he would enjoy. A year, such a long time to waste on such a pitiful relationship.

"I thought so," he rolled a clump of dirt under his sandal until it crumbled and blended in with everything else on the ground.

"He was always there for me, when you were gone. He had become my best friend and I had just started realizing my feelings for him and then..."

"I came back and confused you," he finished for her.

It hadn't come as a surprise, half the village had already informed him before he started courting her. He'd known the risks, but he had been willing.

"I thought I would have been able to make you fall in love with me again," he sighed.

Sakura stood up and laid a hand upon his shoulder, "I've always loved you Sasuke, it's just changed over time. I've realized hearts aren't toys to be played with, but that's what I've been doing with my own heart and I'm afraid that I've almost broken it."

He traced the point where her hand touched his shoulder up to her eyes. He couldn't deny her happiness especially after all he had done wrong.

"You deserve to be with him," he grasped her fingers giving them a slight squeeze for support.

She could barely stand to see the pain in his eyes, if there wasn't the sincere glint that told her to go she would have kissed him and refused such a suggestion.

Leaning in she placed her lips upon his in a final gesture of goodbye, intertwining one of their hands, she wrapped her other arm around his neck and fitted her body against his. This was nothing like anything they'd ever experienced together. The kiss held all of the pent up emotions of pain and longing, but most of all the regret of this love not working. Pulling apart they rested their foreheads against the other.

"You'll always have a piece of my heart, he'll never get it," she whispered to him.

She then brushed by him heading for the door that led to the front of the house. For the first time in a year her shoulders felt weightless, and her heart could breath.

"Oh and Sakura."

She turned around, "Yes?"

"Tell Kakashi hi and give him my words of approval."

She smiled the brilliant smile that made his heart ache, "Of course."

#1 Rule: Review!

I know this wasn't directly a Kaka/Saku but it was certainly implied.