A/U: OMG! I am SO sorry once again that I haven't updated for the last chapter! I hope I didn't disappoint you all and gave up on me:) Anyways, the last chapter was indeed quite a saddening thing. Yamato is now dead and Kiyoshi has offered Kasumi, Sakura's half sister to stay with him. What's next for Sakura and Sasuke?

Chapter 10 – Bring on the Rain

Silence filled the air. Sakura's sobs continued to fill that void surrounding them. Kasumi stood there, shocked. She refuses to believe that her own brother, the only family she had left in the world would abandon her. First it was her father, then her mother and then…

Pride.

That is what he was looking for this whole time. It was the only thing he cared for.

Kasumi ran to his side, her legs finally able to find the strength to move. She dropped to her knees, her eyes still wide from the shock. She glanced down at Yamato's unmoving form. She called, "Niichan," but he did not flinch.

Sakura bowed her head, trying to hold back her tears. Sasuke was by her side seconds later, his arms around her. He whispered that it was okay to cry and as soon as he said those words, the tears continued to flow and she cried in his chest.

"Niichan." Kasumi poked at him. He was dead…he was actually dead. She clenched her fists, her teeth grinding together. What was she supposed to do now?

"Kasumi…The offer still stands. You can stay with me and make your life anew," Kiyoshi spoke softly. He approached her slowly.

Kasumi turned sharply, kunai ready in hand and stood up so fast that Kiyoshi couldn't catch up. However, Sasuke was faster and he blocked Kasumi's advances towards Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelped, watching as blood splattered on the floor. The kunai had stabbed at Sasuke's arm that was blocking Sakura.

Sasuke kept a dangerous look on his face, his eyes trained darkly on Kasumi. He pulled the kunai from his arm and without even a second thought, threw it aside. "You better watch out where you aim that thing," he warned her.

"Sasuke-kun, you're hurt!" The pink haired girl quickly grabbed her Konoha headband and wrapped it around Sasuke's arm. It washe only thing she could find to stop the bleeding.

"I'll be all right." He turned back towards Kasumi. "It's over now, Kasumi. You're all alone and no one else is going to help you win against this fight."

"LOOK OUT!"

The moment those words came out of someone's mouth, in a haste, Sasuke grabbed Sakura and pulled her behind him. Something fast moved quickly in front of them. And Sakura easily recognized Jounichi Haruno standing awkwardly in front of both herself and Sasuke. "Otousan!"

Jounichi grinned and as soon as he slightly turned, a kunai had pierced through his heart. Kai pulled the kunai from its target and made to attack at Sasuke and Sakura, but Jounichi continued to block with his body, using himself as a shield.

"Otousan, no! You'll hurt yourself!"

"Sasuke! Please protect her!" He pushed Kai with whatever strength he could muster and managed to grab the kunai from his hands.

"Ahhh!!!" Kai ran towards him once more, blood trickling down his face. He had another kunai in his hand. Jounichi quickly performed a seal and disappeared from his view, only to reappear behind his enemy.

"You will NO longer harm anyone else!" Jounichi screamed with his last breath. "GO NOW!" he yelled towards Sakura, Sasuke, Kiyoshi and Kasumi.

Kiyoshi grabbed Kasumi by the arm and pulled her out.

"But what about you, otousan!?" Sakura yelled to her father.

Jounichi smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be all right."

"Let's go, Sakura!" Sasuke yelled, grabbing Sakura's hand.

"OTOUSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

All four of them managed to escape the sewers, before a large explosion erupted around the village. When they were safe enough, they rested by a nearby tree. Kiyoshi leaned against it, while Kasumi, still unable to believe what she had seen stood, emotionless.

Sasuke took a deep breath and glanced over at Sakura, who was standing near the entrance. "Sakura…"

Sakura suddenly landed on her knees. "Otou----san……….OTOUSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It was night time now. They were on their way back to Kiyoshi's place to rest up before Sakura and Sasuke had to journey back to Konoha.

One mission.

Failed.

It would be a long story for them to explain everything to the Hokage, but Sasuke didn't mind telling it. Sakura had a lot of things in her mind already.

They walked on foot, Sakura slightly trailing behind. Kiyoshi led the way, followed by Kasumi and Sasuke made sure he didn't lose Sakura on their way back to the cabin, so he was also trailing behind.

"Sakura…" Sasuke called to her.

The pink haired chounin said nothing.

"Sakura, please say something." He was actually begging her to say something. It was unusual even for Sasuke.

Sakura stopped and looked up, her eyes still red from so much crying. "What am I going to tell my mother?"

Sasuke sighed and with one hand stuffed in his pocket, approached her. He didn't dare look at her. It killed him still to see her crying. "You are going to tell her the truth."

"I failed, Sasuke-kun! I failed to bring him back safely! I am not worthy to be a good daughter! That's why he-!" She was stopped in mid-sentence when Sasuke suddenly pressed his lips against hers. Shocked, Sakura pushed him away. "What are you doing!? You can't make me stop my feelings by…by KISSING me!"

Sasuke frowned. "Why not?"

"Because…because…" She didn't know what to say. She was shocked for one thing, but why now? Why not before when she needed it? She didn't need this now.

"I am tired of you thinking negative things. You're Sakura…I would rather see you smile, than cry. I didn't feel like listening to your sob story, when we both know that your father did what he wanted to do and that was to protect his only daughter! Dammit, Sakura! Why do you have to be selfish!?"

Sakura looked away.

"No, don't look away." Sasuke placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. She did not protest, however and he was grateful. He had a gentle look in his eyes that the pink haired girl couldn't help but look at him. "Listen to me. You did the best you could to protect your father. He had a choice on his own to leave when we told him to, but he didn't. He decided to come back and protect you. His actions proved what he wanted to say before he left you and your mother. He wanted to renew his relationship with his only daughter and you bonded. You bonded and no matter how small the moment was, it was still enough for him to protect you."

Tears fell from Sakura's eyes. "I hate him. I hate him…" She buried her face in his chest and cried some more.

Sasuke closed his eyes and pulled her close in his arms as tightly as he could. "I know." He kissed her forehead affectionately and allowed her cries to echo in the wilderness.

Back in Konoha, rain poured heavily, signaling another death. It was late at night and together, Sakura and Sasuke made their way to the Haruno household where Chiharu would be waiting for their return and…for the bad news.

Sakura stopped in the doorstep and glanced over at Sasuke.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere. It'll be okay," Sasuke said, reassuring her. He leaned against the post of the porch and gave her a soft look.

Sakura took a deep breath and smiled sadly before turning around. She twisted the door knob slowly and opened it.

--- An hour later ---

It took a few moments to realize that what she had said actually was the truth. At first, she thought the story her daughter had told was a joke, but with Sakura's single tear falling across her face proved to be factual.

Chiharu sat down on the nearby chair.

"Okasan…" Sakura approached her mother slowly. "I'm sorry, I did the best I could…I…."

Chiharu looked up. Sakura had her face buried in her hands and was crying. She stood up and approached her daughter. She wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close. "I know you did the best you could. I'm just sad that you had to go through it alone."

Sakura shook her head. "Iiee….I wasn't alone."

Her mother smiled. "Then you don't need to feel like you were responsible to what happened to your father. I love you and we still have each other. I'm sure that's what your father wanted for the both of us, Sakura…"

"I love you too…okasan."

She stepped out of her house and was ready to find out that Sasuke had gone home, but she was surprised when she found him sitting on the porch chair. He stood up, looking at her with such a warmth that Sakura couldn't help but blush.

"How did it go?"

Sakura smiled. "It went well."

Sasuke nodded. It seemed like it was a long time since he last saw her smile. "That's good."

They stood silent, unable to say anything to each other.

"Listen, about that kiss…"

"I know you didn't mean it."

"What?"

Sakura shrugged. "I mean, you were just trying to stop me from saying the wrong things right?"

Sasuke sighed and walked up to her. He brushed a single strand of pink hair from her eyes and curled it behind her ear. "Idiot."

The pink haired girl blinked, confused. What just happened?

He leaned down and kissed her again. This time the kiss was softer and more meaningful and Sakura found herself kissing him back. After a few moments of bliss, Sasuke pulled back and smiled slightly at her. "You didn't think I meant it?"

"I…" Sakura was speechless. She frowned and looked away. "Baka…took you long enough to figure that out!"

Sasuke was taken aback with her comment, but was relieved when she looked back at him, smiling. Sakura clasped her hands behind her and tilted her head to the side. This was one of the things that the dark haired man found cute that Sakura does when she was herself. "I wish you had figured that out ten years ago…" Her voice seemed sad and faraway now when she said that.

The dark haired man took her hand. "If I had, it would have been harder for you. I was glad I could figure it out now. I wouldn't know what I would have done to you if I was still brimming with vengeance towards niisan."

Sakura squeezed his hand back. "Let's go for a walk."

Sasuke glanced towards the streets. "In the rain?"

"Why not?"

"We'll be wet."

She laughed. Oh how he loved to hear her laugh. "Sasuke-kun, did you know that rain is one of the reasons that flowers bloom in spring?" Without giving Sasuke a chance to respond, she pulled him along down the street.

No, Sakura…

She let go of his hand and looked up at the sky. She smiled, but Sasuke knew the reason why she wanted to be in the rain. She wanted to hide the tears that fell from her eyes.

He watched her there. Even under the rain, she looked ethereal. Both of them were wet, but it didn't matter.

Let the clouds hover above us. Let the thunder growl. Let the rain fall. But no matter what the weather, you will ALWAYS bloom.

Sasuke walked up to her and embraced her. "A sakura flower blooms best when it smiles in the rain," he whispered to her.

Sakura closed her eyes and smiled.

A/N: Woot! Woot! FINISHED! NO MORE! Now, just wait for the epilogue! Thank you for all those who have been reviewing! I love you all! XD