A pair of green eyes opened slowly. The blow of a cold breeze stung then quickly and she shut then again. Opening them slightly and slower this time she blinked herself to sitting position. She gazed around slowly. Sakura was tucked near a tree. She had obviously been dropped there the night before. Blood was pooling around her body, made only more obvious by the fallen snow around her. She sighed as the pain suddenly came with the many injuries. She shuddered in the cold.

She could barely remember what had happened and what she could, she didn't want to. She shuddered again. Locking her chakra inside her had been a last minute resort to save her life. Chakra seeped out of the created prison Sakura now tried to break. The chakra would heal her body and keep her alive long enough to find help or help to find her. Both her legs were shattered and her arms were too bruised to move. She sat in a mangled mess.

She leaned her head against the tree trunk and looked at the tree above her. Blood was also on the trunk behind her and she knew she had probably been thrown into the tree before hitting the ground. Tear rolled out of her clouded eyes as the pain slowly reached her. Hitting her like it was all at once. Scared, she didn't know if anyone would ever find her in this winter torn forest, lost in the snow and fog.

The snow settled on his nose as he sneezed it off. Sasuke came to a sitting position as he looked at the clouded sky above him. The roof of the house had obviously caved in and somehow missed his unconscious body. Snow now covered the remains of the Konoha, mixed with the ashes. Smoke still rose from some house but everything looked like it had been ended. Sasuke grumbled at his bleeding head. Suddenly a crash of debris was heard to the left of him. Naruto jumped down and smiled happily laughing.

"Oh my god, he's awake guys…over here…bring it this way." Naruto called to the blurred people behind him. Sasuke blinked several times to try and adjust his vision. Head spinning, Sasuke could only comply with the Medic. Ninjas as they helped him onto a stretcher. Naruto grinned.

"You're going to be okay Sasuke…" Naruto laughed.

"I know that idiot…what's going on!" He said groggily.

"The Konoha was barely saved from eh fire…I'll tell you when you wake up." Naruto said watching as the medics prepared a sleeping drought.

"I am awake…were is Sakura…." He asked feeling the pain of the needle entering his arm.

Naruto only bit his lip as Sasuke grabbed his collar, but fell back to the stretcher asleep.

Pounding her fist on the table, Tsuande raced to stand up. She was already hung over but the appearance of Itachi and the whole burning of half of the Konoha just made things worse. Not mention the medical supplies were now low. So far though the only good thing was only four people had been found dead.

That, however, did not make up for the fact one-third the population was missing. Tsuande growled at the medics who started at her with sad looks.

"Heh…good work…. now…just continue finding the missing and I want a full scale search started. Bring in the wounded and send out a troop of ANBU to seek more medical supplies. Send the other ANBU on search or patrol." Tsuande sat back down in her tent. She pulled a blanket over her shoulders and sighed at the cold. Thank god for the surprise blizzard or the whole Konoha might have been burned up.

Tsuande didn't even recall half of the chaos that night. She sighed and rested her head on the desk. Naruto walked into the tent. Tsuande looked up and sighed once again.

"Any word on Sakura or Sasuke yet…or any of the other missing ninja!" She asked promptly.

"Yes we found Sasuke, and some other of the ninja. One more person found dead…im afraid this time it was a little girl. All we know is Sakura was taken out of the village."

"Very good Naruto…how is the condition of Uchiha!" He groaned.

"He is sleeping in the recovery tent…he has no serious injuries." Naruto said

Tsuande glanced. She almost giggled at the fact Naruto was being so damn serious. She sighed. She only had one option for Naruto. She had to give him that assignment; he was practically begging her with that stare of his.

"When Uchiha wakes up, you and him are assigned the mission of finding Haruno, Sakura…. bring back my student Naruto…Alive!" She said and with that waved him out of her tent. Naruto nodded and ran back to the recovery tent.

Grumbling in his bed was the angry Uchiha. He hated hospitals. He was hardly damaged except for a large bruise on the back of his neck. He rubbed his neck softly. Damn Itachi he cursed angrily pounding his fist into the bed. A young girl caught Sasuke's eyes in the bed nest to him. She had jumped out of her bed and was at his bedside.

The young girl had brown hair and small but piercing blue eyes. She handed him a flower shyly. He blinked at the small gift and scoffed. The girl drew back her hand sadly and looked up with a determined look.

"Mister?" she asked softly

"What is it…you should be in bed." He said

"What's wrong…did you loose your mommy too?" She asked

Sasuke looked at the now crying girl. Placing a gentle hand on her head he lifted her to his bed sitting her on the side of it. She whipped her tears and smiled at his head patting gesture.

"I lost my mommy when she protected me from falling roof" She said.

"Hm" was his only reply.

"Im sorry mister…but could I talk to you for a while?" she asked softly.

"Whatever" Sasuke said slightly blushing at the small girl.

The excited fox dashed into the recovery tent. He gazed down the long rows of people and nurses. He ran down the first aisle about seven beds down. He stopped in his tracks seeing a young girl laughing at Sasuke who sat there looking as if he was annoyed.

Naruto walked up. The girl gazed at him then back at Sasuke. She giggled.

"Who are you sir?" she asked happily

"You should be in bed resting kid…im Naruto." He added.

"She was talking to me!" Sasuke said coolly.

"Heh…well run of to bed now kid…we have to talk." He smiled.

"Alright mister…thank you mister Sasuke…it was nice chatting with you." She smiled jumping back into her own bed giggling.

"We are to leave as soon as you're ready in search of Sakura. Some of our ANBU encounter Itachi upon returning and he didn't have Sakura with him. That means he must've dumper her off somewhere in the mountain passing." Naruto reported

"How do we know were she is…the mountain pass is huge!" Sasuke growled.

"There is only one half of it that isn't covered in snow…we will search there first. Hurry up and get ready." Naruto said.

"Im as ready as I'll ever be" Sasuke said getting to his feet.

"You'll need these!" Naruto said tossing him a sack of Kunai and a cape.

Sasuke nodded and put on the cape following Naruto. He turned to a small voice behind him. The young girl smiled and waved.

"Bu-bye mister Sasuke..I hope you find your girl friend!" She said.

"Hm..You get better…Sakura" he said.

The young girl giggled at him calling her name. He smirked and turned to leave the tent into the cold winter air.

The snow was now covering her body. Her breath could barely be seen as she shuddered in the cold. She was numb and tired…and all she felt like doing was sleeping. If it weren't for the fact she was half dieing she would of loved to sit in the middle of this snow with Sasuke. He looked better in winter.

While she had been in her self caused comma she had only dreamed of him. Probably because she was dieing she realized she was truly back in love with him. She would never get the chance to tell him though…in a few hours she would be suffering from severe Hypothermia. She sighed then looked at the necklace around her neck. She blushed and reached to painful hands to clasp around it.

Tears began to slowly find there way to the snow. Her body temperature was dropping and she coughed up warm blood. She was fading and just like that she would spend the last moment of her life in the middle of a bleak winter. Fading into the snow and fog. The fog was tick enough she doubt not even a passerby or rival ninja would see her. She began to sob only making the situation worse.

Scared, alone and above all in pain Sakura paniced. She wanted to be found…. not to die here…like this. Several minutes passed as she leaned back into the blood stained tree. It seemed hours passed by as Sakura sang the Kagome song to ease her pain. Growing steadily more tired she softly sung the song:

"Kagome…Kagome…

Crouch little birdie inside your cage…

When oh when will he get out…

Up before the light of dawn…

Cranes and turtle slipped and …….fell….

Who….is behind you…..can…..you…."

Her voice trailed off into the bleak fog as her eyes slowly closed.

"SAKURA!" a Voice called in the distance. She opened her eyes again looking around

Another voice rang fro inside her head… "Sakura" it crooned at her.

The voices argued her name…Sakura was to tired to decide which one she should respond too. Suddenly images of Sasuke appeared in her mind. Naruto and Hinata… Ten Ten, lee, and…Neji.

"Neji I'll be there soon…. wait for me" She whispered.

Blurred out voice rang out around her. The world was standing so still.herbody felt so heavy…if only she didn't have to carry it.

"Everything…is so cold…and quiet…im tired…can I sleep now…is it…Okay?…Neji is it okay to sleep now?…" Sakura gazed at the fog swirling ever so slowly around her. Suddenly a familiar voice rang out and she smiled slightly.

"Is that something...?"

"What! …. Let go and check it out!"

"There. It's a girl!"

"Hurry up we might be to late…"

"SAKURA WAKE UP"

Suddenly warm arms pulled her into a tight embrace. The warmth felt so good to her cold body…like I fire in the middle of winter.

Sasuke held the freezing girl close. She looked like she was already dead but he felt slight warmth from her…and heard a slight pulse of both chakra and heart in her. She was barely alive.

"Naruto we have to keep her warm…. hurry up and get the extra blankets!" Sasuke ordered

"Its gunna be alright Sakura hold on" Naruto said.

Sasuke looked at the pink haired kounichi. Eyes glassed over and clouded…she seemed so distant…. was she going to die now! Sasuke clutched tightly to her freezing body. Sakura's head limped into the crook of his neck.

"Oh…. Sasuke…. ya…now I know why…" Sakura whispered.

Sasuke looked at her as she whispered…He could only hold her tight.

"It's so cold…Sasuke…. it so very cold…and quiet…hey…can you hear me….don't worry….it will only be a nap….I'll wake up I promise…" she said

"No Sakura…stay awake…keep your eyes open and stay conscious...Naruto will be back soon...hold on...just hold on!" He commanded softly. He shook her gently clutching her tightly. Naruto returned to the couple covered in snow. He stopped and watched for a moment at the look on Sasuke's face. It seemed like he was angry. Naruto dashed over setting don the warm blankets in the snow and unwrapping them. Sasuke set Sakura down and rapped them around her. He picked her up gently, careful not to hurt her or make her bleeding continue.

Naruto proceed with wrapping bandages around some of the body parts he could reach. He then took the bag and followed Sasuke back towards the Konoha. Sakura leaned her face against his chest. Both boys walked in silence as the snow slowly began to fall faster.

GASP was Ino's reply to the town she had come home to. Her house and shop had been spared but the tents and medics running everywhere were over whelming. Shikamaru was glaring around.

"What the hell happened!" Shikamaru growled.

"I don't know but it looks awful." Ino replied in a teary voice.

"Ino…S-shikamrua…" Hinata said walking out from the tent. She smiled the happiest she could.

"How was your trip?" She asked

"It was great but…what happened here?" Ino asked quietly.

"Um some Itachi guy appeared and burned it all down. Then he disappeared. With all the confusion everything went wrong. Sasuke and Naruto left about four hours ago to look for Sakura, who had been captured and dumped somewhere in the mountain pass.

Ino and Shikamaru only blinked at her story. There only response in mind was...how could they help?…

The damaged gates of the Konoha were in site. Both Naruto and Sasuke were at an all out sprint for the village. Sasuke held Sakura close in his arms. She had fallen asleep a few hours ago and he had frequently checked to make sure her pulse wasn't fading. Tsuande and Hinata raced out to the boys who stopped.

"Oh my god!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Where do we take her she is in critical condition." Sasuke asked urgently.

"Take her to the red tent…. we will perform surgery right away!" Tsuande said calmly flowing Sasuke.

Naruto and Hinata stared at them with scared looks on their faces. Hinata gripped onto Naruto's jacket. Naruto quickly rapped his arms around the crying Hinata. She wouldn't be able to take much more of this. Naruto hugged her tightly kissing her slightly on the forehead then look back towards the injured Sakura.

An irritated Sasuke awaited news outside the red ER tent. Much to his annoyance there had been fourteen other people in the same condition in the tent. Tsuande had order them to be looked after first. Sakura however was simply shoved aside. This made Sasuke angry. She was just as important as the next guy was why did she have to wait!

Tsuande came outside the tent yawning. Tired from lack of both Chakra and Sleep she was due for a good nights rest. Sasuke gave her a glance then returned to the sound of his tapping foot. Tsuande glared and threw a blanket at him.

"She's going to be fine…give her two weeks and she will be back on her feet…not to mention so will the village!" Tsuande said groggily then walked off to find a vacant bed.

(Two weeks time skip)

Sure enough in two weeks Sakura was walking again. Though she still had to use crutches she looked like she was going to make it. Sasuke visited her often. Missions had been postponed until the village was rebuilt again. Sakura had been moved to a new apartment and she was looking good. Though Sasuke had felt his first priority was to find and really kill Itachi he felt a pain in his stomach every time he went to tell Sakura he was leaving. On the other hand he couldn't let his brother do that…but maybe when Sakura was in better condition he would leave.

Sakura sat on the patio outside in a huge blanket and hot tea in her hands. Gazing out at the Konoha. Surprisingly it had survived the fire thanks to the extra supply of ninja. Sakura sighed as she gazed at the necklace around her neck again. She still couldn't bring herself to say she loved him to Sasuke's face yet.

The young ninja had been very protective of her the past few weeks. Especially when she had woken up he had been right there. Of course he was sleeping but Sakura only had to touch his hand and he had jerked awake. He had only smirked then got up and left. But Sakura knew he really cared or else he wouldn't have been there at all.

AS if there were no worse time Sasuke appeared behind the thought lost Sakura. He grumbled at the site of her outside in the cold. Walking to her side he set a hand upon her shoulder. She whirled around and smiled.

"Hey Sasuke…how are you?" She grinned

"Good…what are you doing?" he asked

"Um …sitting?"

"You should be in bed."

"Im not that weak Sasuke…please I don't want to be bed ridden anymore. Besides you still have a broken arm too!" She pointed out the cast Sasuke wore. He had noticed it halfway back the Konoha after finding Sakura.

"Ya but your cut up!"

"Oh about that, most my wounds healed without a scar. I think that's amazing."

"Your chakra did it…if you're that well then get off your ass and make yourself decent."

"Why what for?"

"Naruto told me since your house and most belonging were burned you have to find an outfit. Turns out the dope is having his wedding in a few days. He wants it on the day the ninja missions are put back I'm to service."

"That's cool… well then I guess we better go"

"Hm" Sasuke said walking into her house again.

The healing girl rose from her chair and walked into the house. She took a small shower and put her hair up in a clip. She slipped into a red turtleneck shirt and into some jeans. She slipped on her regular boots with a cape around her shoulders. Tucking the necklace into her shirt she walked into the hall to find Sasuke sitting patiently against the wall. Opening the door Sakura walked into the cold struck village. With Sasuke at her heals she felt better to be walking out of her house.

Shopping with Sasuke wasn't as fun as Sakura imagined. He was like Neji in the fact both usually sat and nodded when she showed something to them. When Neji would smile and say something Sasuke looked off with a slight blush.

After 20 minutes in one shop Sakura began to feel exhausted and can to choose a small black dress she could accessories later. Sasuke helped her to a bench where she asked to rest a little bit. He had grown worried when she had started coughing in the middle of the street. The Uchiha set her gently on the bench as she regained her breath. She smiled at him, as she wanted to protest to her being out here. She only waved a hand.

"It seems everyone is getting married huh?" Sakura exclaimed.

"Hm"

"Must be something about this year…oh well the year before that you missed Iruka getting married to his girlfriend. That wedding went haywire with Naruto."

"Im not surprised."

"Would you mind if I rested my head on your shoulder?" Sakura asked…her fan-girl side kicking in.

"Hm" was Sasuke's reply.

Sakura rested her head onto his shoulder softly. The warmth of his body against hers was relaxing. Sasuke only gazed at the quiet surroundings. The small girl resting on him. He suddenly felt guilty…and like his other failed attempts to tell her we was leaving, he simply placed his hand on hers. Sakura's green eyes opened as she looked at their hands. She blushed and leaned farther on his shoulder.

It felt as though she understood hi perfectly. Though tuff and very unreadable on the outside he was very soft and almost fragile on the inside. The 11-foot wall of junk that separated him from showing his soft side had been from years of pain.

"Sasuke…I want to learn more about you" Sakura whispered…"but I feel like I already know you…"

"Hm" was his nervous reply. Where was she taking this? He asked himself silently.

"Sasuke…what do you think of me?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you see me…like I see you as a brave ninja…. handsome and …" She cut off her sentence blushing and biting her lips. She couldn't bring herself to say it. She wanted to but..It just didn't seem right.

"You're to complicated to describe." Sasuke said plainly.

"Then …how do you feel about me?"

"Why are you asking me all this"

Sakura looked at him with teary eyes. Her face blushing madly, she gave him a pleading look. He stared at her with intense eyes. Something inside him burst at that moment, something had been trying to hide for weeks. Suddenly he knew what he wanted to do…everything was clear yet so confusing.

Sakura gazed painfully. What was he thinking? It was as if he was staring right threw the Pink haired kounichi. Sakura turned her hand around to interlace fingers with his. He blinked at the sudden gesture. Little did both know they were being watched? Even if they did neither would care. Sakura leaned in closely to his face. They were an inch apart. Sasuke could only sit as Sakura rapped him around her finger.

He was going nuts, yet he was perfectly calm. As Sakura drew closer his heart skipped a few beats. Sakura leaned closer. Her eyes closed, as Sasuke's also began to close without his consent.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear before lowering her face slightly. Softly brushing her lips past his, his face went pink. Sakura came back and pressed her lips lightly onto his.

Besides Naruto he had never had a kiss. But this felt like something so new. His eyes closed fully as he returned the kiss pressing his own lips against hers. Raising his free hand to her cheek Sasuke only did what felt intentionally right. Sakura blushed as Sasuke pulled her closer to him.

The eyes that leered at the young couple from behind a building glazed with delight. Oh the fun this will cause.

Author note: woohoo! They kiss. I was going to make them wait but then I thought of how I hated when I read other fan fiction and they never kiss or don't kiss until the double didget chapters. So I made them kiss now.

With the time jump situation well I was kinda depressed earlier today so my writing became the same way. But it's amazing what a few songs do to your emotions. So I perked up and my typing became uber happy. I will probably be typing a lot faster now that im out of my funk.

Next chapter: Sasuke and Sakura decide to keep their relationship secret, but much to their dismay the entire thing blows its cover thanks to a certain someone. Sasuke decides it is best to stay and protect Sakura this time, but with his taste for revenge quickly coming back to him how will he stay away. Be done by this afternoon!

Darn my friend for making me read Ceres manga 12 I think. It gave me so many ideas…if you have read it I hope you know what I mean…(has to do with Ceres' past.)