My heart had almost stopped. That voice. I knew it from anywhere. I slowly turned around to see Sasuke and Orochimaru standing there. My heart was beating so fast I swore I could hear it.
"Sasuke…" I whispered. What on earth was he doing here? Had he come back to the village while I was gone? He smiled that famous smirk of his.
"Surprised to see me? I'm surprised to see you. I thought you were dead. We all did." He said, laughing softly. I turned my attention towards Orochimaru.
"What the hell is he doing here?" I asked, nodding my head towards Orochimaru. He smirked, doing that weird and creepy tongue thing. I had to stop myself from vomiting.
"He's on our side now. Just like I am now." Sasuke said, looking over at him. Sasuke walked closer to me, our bodies inches apart.
"You have no idea of how much I've missed you Sakura." He whispered. I gasped, eyes wide. He placed his hand on my cheek, pulling me closer. When our lips touched it felt like fireworks bursting. It felt right, it felt like pure magic. I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck.
The kiss lasted a while, and I didn't want it to end. Once we finally pulled away, I looked into his black eyes. The ones that were staring back at me. Sasuke cupped my face with is hands, stroking my cheek with both of his thumbs. Suddenly, he pulled me in an embrace. It surprised me, but I didn't hesitate to hug back.
"I know about Naruto. I'm so sorry Sakura." He whispered in my ear. I gasped, eyes welling with tears. I squeezed him tighter, letting the tears escape my eyes. Sasuke squeezed me tighter, gently gripping onto the back of my shirt.
"I miss him so much Sasuke." I whispered, more tears falling from my eyes.
"I know. I do too." Sasuke replied. I pulled away, wiping away my tears. I took a deep breath, relaxing.
"Ino and Hinata are gone too…" I muttered. Sasuke was quiet for a moment. Finally he spoke again.
"But you're not. You're here. You're alive." Sasuke whispered softly, caressing my cheek. I gently pushed his hand away, the thought of Pein coming to my mind. I turned around, walking away.
"Sakura wait." Sasuke hollered, grabbing a hold of my wrist. I turned my head, not saying anything. "Let me walk you to your apartment." I sighed, nodding my head.
Sasuke and I walked together, hands entwined.
"How long have you been back in the village?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"About a year." He replied. He looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back. "Sakura, what happened to you?" Sasuke added, looking me directly in the eye. I looked away from his hypnotizing gaze. I didn't want to tell him, afraid that he might seek out the Akatsuki and kill them.
"Sakura?" Sasuke asked, dragging me away from my thoughts. I jerked my head towards him, almost dumbstruck. Then I remembered what he had asked. A frown grew on my face.
"I…was…kidnapped…" I muttered. Sasuke's mouth dropped open, eyes wide.
"By whom?!" He yelled.
"Akatsuki…" I replied, my head hanging low. Sasuke stayed silent, I looked over at him. He was clenching his teeth, and his brow was furrowed.
"What did they do to you?" He mumbled, still frowning. I didn't know if I could hold back the tears this time. I couldn't stop a few tears falling from my eyes.
"It doesn't matter anymore." I whispered, trying not to break down in tears. I guessed Sasuke had taken the hint that I didn't really want to talk about it.
After what seemed like hours, we had reached my apartment. As I stood at the foot of the stairs that led to the apartment, my heart began racing. I wondered if my parents would still be here. I didn't know if I was ready to lead a normal life. I hadn't stopped thinking about Pein the moment he left me. I knew I couldn't just forget him, or what we had been through together. I didn't think I could lead a normal life. After everything, I wasn't ready to go back to normal. Because I wasn't normal, nor were the things that had happened to me.
"I can walk you in if you want." Sasuke offered. I looked at him, smiling a little. I had never seen this side of Sasuke, but I liked it.
"No, I'm fine." I said. Sasuke pulled me close to him, looking at my lips. He kissed me gently, making me melt. I pulled away, kissing him on the cheek before walking up the stairs.
"Sakura!" Sasuke hollered. I stopped, turning my head to look at him. He had that famous smirk of his on his face. "How 'bout I come over later tonight?" He asked. I could feel my cheeks getting warm. I smiled, almost laughing.
"Yeah, sure. That'd be great." I said, still smiling.
"I love you." Sasuke said, stopping me again from walking up the stairs. My eyes got wide, and my heart sank. I slowly turned around, trying my best to fake a smile.
"I…love you too." I muttered quickly. Then I rushed up the stairs, stopping abruptly in front of the door. I stretched out my hand, gripping the door knob. I slowly turned it, the door creaking as it opened.
When I walked in, I saw the familiar hallway, with the stairs to the left. Down the hall was the kitchen and living room. I saw a light on in the kitchen and headed there. As I got closer, I heard chatter. And my heart almost leaped with joy when I recognized it as my mother and father's voices. Their backs were to me.
"Hey mom, hey dad." I said standing there awkwardly. They suddenly stopped talking, slowly turning around. When they saw me, their mouths dropped open. I half smiled at them. They rushed over to me, both of them wrapping their arms around me. It was one big group hug. I embraced them back, squeezing tight. Out of all people, I've missed them the most. I didn't hesitate to let the tears stream down my face. I sobbed, still embracing them.
"Oh my sweet Sakura." My mother whispered pulling away. She cupped my face with her hands, tears still fresh on her cheeks. She looked me up and down and smiled.
"Your hair is so much longer. You've grown into a beautiful woman." She said, smiling. More tears slipped from her eyes. I laughed with a smile. I pulled her into another embrace, squeezing her tight.
"I've missed you so much mom." I whispered. I could tell she was starting to cry
again. I pulled away, looking over at my father. I walked over to him, hugging him also.
"Sakura." He whispered, hugging me tight. I smiled. My father wasn't the one to get teary eyed, or show much of emotion. But I heard him sobbing silently. The smile on my face only grew bigger.
"Dad." I whispered back. I let a few tears slip from my eyes. I pulled away and my mother walked back over to me.
"Oh dear Sakura, you've got dirt all over you. Why don't you go take a shower?" My mother said in that motherly tone. I laughed, nodding my head. I walked towards the bathroom, and I suddenly remembered that Sasuke was coming over tonight. A part of me panicked. I frantically hopped in the shower. But I couldn't help but feel relieved. I felt like I was washing all those dreadful years that I partially enjoyed off of me. It felt good to be clean, and change out of my torn and tattered clothes.
I walked into my room, and it was the same as I had left it. Except it was a lot cleaner and more organized than before. I figured that was my mother's work. I sat down on my bed, having that nervous tick. I tapped my fingers on my bed. Suddenly, I heard a soft tapping on my window. It startled me, so I jerked around. But was relieved to see Sasuke. I sighed, shifting around to open the window. Sasuke crawled through, sitting on the bed once he got settled.
We sat there talking and talking, going back through all the memories. Most of the night was filled laughter.
"Do you remember when me, you, and Naruto were spying on Kakashi with that women and we thought he was proposing to her? And then we fell from the tree, pushing Kakashi down on top of the women?" Sasuke asked, laughing.
"Oh my god yes!" I said laughing. We both laughed for some time. Then, Sasuke scooted closer to me, only inches apart. We were facing each other, legs crossed. I looked down, hiding my pink cheeks. Sasuke lifted my chin up, making me look at him. I smiled, blushing even more. He leaned in, kissing me passionately. I couldn't help myself but get lost. I let the moment take over me.
Before I knew it, Sasuke was on top of me. His broad muscles distracted me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, gently grabbing onto his hair. Sasuke's lips went down to my neck, making me grip his hair harder. I heard a faint moan come from him. I smirked, kissing him harder. I lifted his head up, kissing him on the lips hard.
Suddenly, I heard the door open, and I felt my stomach feel uneasy.
"Saku-" The voice cut off. I bolted my eyes to the door to see my mother standing there. Her cheeks were flushed red, and eyes wide. I gently pushed Sasuke off of me, scooting off the bed.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I…I just…" I couldn't find the words to explain myself. But I was surprised to hear my mother laugh.
"Sakura, you're an adult now. I can't really tell you what to do. I mean I can, but that doesn't mean you have to listen to me. You can make your own decisions now." My mother said, still laughing. A wash of relief came over me. My mother turned around, beginning to walk out of my room. I was going to close the door after she walked out. Before she left, my mother gave me one piece of advice.
"Be safe." My mother whispered, winking at me. I could feel my cheeks flushing. I quickly shut the door. I turned around, hand still clasped on the knob. Sasuke was laying on the bed, looking irresistible. My bed was set against the wall, so he was leaning against the wall, one leg propped up with his arm resting on it. I couldn't help myself. I rushed over, jumping on top of Sasuke. I landed in his lap, kissing him aggressively. Every kiss was sloppy, and not always landing on the lips.
Sasuke had started to remove my shirt, and I let him. I was tugging at his shirt, feeling his skin. He ripped off his shirt, revealing his toned muscles. I accidently pulled away from the continuous lip lock, getting distracted by his muscles. Sasuke must have realized and slammed his lips on mine.
He leaned back, laying down on my bed and bringing me with him. I couldn't help but have Pein pop into my head at random moments. I tried my best to ignore them, but he was planted in my mind like a disease.
Before I knew it we were both naked. Our bare bodies pressed against each others. I could feel Sasuke's midsection rubbing against mine. I moaned, digging my nails into his skin. I heard a loud moan come from Sasuke.
"Sakura, I want you so bad…" Sasuke whispered in my ear. I smirked, rolling on top of him. I finally felt like I could have control. I straddled on top of Sasuke, smirking even more. I traced my finger down his face, laughing and biting my lip. Sasuke smirked, stroking my cheek. I planted a soft kiss on his lips, moving down to his neck, nibbling on the skin gently. Then I went down to his abs, kissing them tenderly. But it made me think of Pein, I shook him out of my head.
Moans kept coming from Sasuke, and it really turned me on. But this just didn't feel right. I kept holding back, and hesitating. Sasuke must have taken notice because he sat up, cradling me in his lap. I placed my hands on his shoulders, looking down. He reached down, kissing me on the lips softly.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sasuke whispered in my ear. "Am I rushing things?" He asked, lifting up my chin. I knew I couldn't tell him about Pein, I couldn't tell anyone about Pein. I couldn't tell him how I wished it was Pein instead of him laying on my bed. I was holding in so much, I felt strange.
"I'm…not ready…" I murmured. I felt so embarrassed, knowing it wasn't the truth. I was ready, but I didn't want this from him. I wanted it from Pein. My cheeks flushed from embarrassment.
Sasuke and I had regained our clothes. We laid on the bed, up against each other. The warmth radiated from Sasuke's body. I had trouble sleeping that night. My mind was filled with thoughts and memories of Pein. Why couldn't I get him out of my head?
No matter how hard I tried that night I couldn't get Pein out of my head. The
dreams I had about him were almost like I was calling out to him. I wanted to go back, but how could I just leave when I had just gotten here?
When morning came, it wasn't that much better. I woke up alone, Sasuke wasn't any where to be found. I sighed, it didn't really bother me that much. I didn't feel the same about Sasuke like he did for me. I sat up, hugging my knees, looking out the window. It was raining. I sighed once again. I got up, walking out to the balcony. The cool breeze whirled my hair around my face. Little rain drops hit my face, it didn't faze me. The rain didn't bother me that much.
I walked back into my room and out into the living room. My mother was in the kitchen cooking what I guessed was breakfast. My father was sitting on the couch, caught up in paper work.
"Good morning sweetie!" My mother exclaimed once I walked into the kitchen. I half smiled at her. I grabbed a quick bite to eat before getting in the shower. When I got out, my mother stopped me. Thankfully I had a towel wrapped around me.
"I went out this morning and got you some new clothes. I hope you like them." My mother said, handing me a box. I smiled and took the box into my room with me.
I opened the box and pulled out a red cloak that hung open in the front and with my clan sign on it, a black crop top, a fishnet tank top to go under, and white pants with blue trimming on the top. I smiled and put it on. I had to say, it didn't look too bad.
I walked out and my mother smiled big.
"Oh it looks beautiful on you!" She exclaimed. I smiled, laughing.
"Thanks." I mumbled. I turned, heading for the door. I walked down the steps, the rain hitting me. I looked up, the sky was grey. I half smiled, the rain reminded me of Pein. Not many people were out, and that didn't really surprise me. I turned my head, and I saw the exit of the village. I wanted to dash towards it, not wanting to ever come back here. I knew what I wanted, and that was a future with Pein. But I couldn't have that anymore.
Even though my life was miserable and dreadful for the past years, I much rather have that life than this one. I felt like a stranger to this village. It wasn't where I belonged. I belonged in Pein's embrace, his arms, and I belonged with him. I didn't realize I had let a stream of tears escape my eyes. It was hard to tell with the rain.
I finally decided to start walking, and towards the exit. I knew I couldn't spend one more second here, or I would go crazy. Nothing here felt right. I felt awkward, and out of place.
I stood at the edge of the exit, pondering. I didn't know if I could leave. I didn't know if I had the guts. Then it hit me. I was suppose to see Lady Tsunade this morning for my final treatment. I wondered if I didn't if I would still live. The pain had gone away, but that didn't mean it couldn't come back. I shook the thought of leaving out, and headed back towards the hospital.
I walked through the rusted doors, walking into Lady Tsunade's office. She was speaking with Shizune, and I waited there patiently.
Once Lady Tsunade noticed my presence, a smile grew on her face.
"Sakura, you're here." She said, walking over to me. I half smiled at her. She led me to a
a room, like before and I laid down on the hospital bed. Lady Tsunade hovered her hands over my stomach, and the familiar green glow illuminated the room. It didn't take as long as the time before, and the red and purple were completely gone on my stomach. But the scars remained, which I actually didn't mind. They were a part of me, a part of the life I wanted back. I know it sounds crazy, but I missed Pein so damn much. It was getting to the point where my chest started to hurt.
After Lady Tsunade finished my last treatment I headed home. I didn't pay attention to my parents when I walked in, I only went straight to my room, slamming my door shut. I jumped onto my bed, hugging my knees. The sobs came out of me, and my knees were soaked. Then, I heard a soft knock on my door.
"Sakura? You alright?" I heard my mother say. I tried to make it sound like I hadn't been crying. I lifted my head up, sniffling.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need some time alone." I hollered back. There was no response from my mother. I assumed she understood.
Hours passed easily as I sobbed and sobbed. I didn't really know why I was crying, I guess I was just letting all my emotions out. And I guess I had some anger in there too, I got up walking over to a wall, thrusting my fist into it. A small indentation was made.
"Fuck!" I screamed, but not too loudly to alarm my parents. All these emotions that were coming out were scaring me. It's like I wasn't me, the emotions took over me.
Eventually I had calmed down and went to rest. But that was useless, I couldn't even get one minute of sleep in.
Finally I had had it. The room was pitch black, matching the outside. It was the middle of the night. I sat up, pondering once again. I couldn't stand being in this place for another second. I opened my window, the cool night breeze hit my face. I crawled out, hopping onto the roof. I was careful not to make a sound. I slid down the roof, and jumped down onto the dirt road.
I began walking towards the exit, not having any second thoughts. It wasn't that far of a walk from my apartment. Once I reached it, I stood there, almost paralyzed. I don't know what came over me. I thought I could do it. But when I tried to move, my feet stood still.
"Sakura?" I heard that all too familiar voice say from behind. My body was overcome with fear. I didn't want to turn around. "What are you doing out here? Its the middle of the night." I slowly turned around to see the familiar figure of Sasuke. Then, I swear my heart almost stopped.
"Sakura? Is that you?" I heard that voice I missed so dearly. Sasuke looked behind me, and a frown came across it. I turned my head, seeing Pein standing there.
"Sakura who's this?" Sasuke asked. I tried speaking, but the words wouldn't come out. At that moment I knew I had to make a choice. To either stay here, and try to make things work with Sasuke, or leave and be happy with Pein. Sasuke and Pein stood there, both looking at me. My head was telling me to stay, but my heart was telling me to leave. I slowly started walking towards Pein. He pulled me close to him, and I placed my hands on his chest turning to look at Sasuke. Pein had his arms wrapped around me, protectively.
"I'm sorry Sasuke, but this is goodbye." I whispered. I couldn't help but let a single tear slip from my eyes. Sasuke didn't say anything, but just walked away. I turned to face Pein, and before he could say anything, I slammed my lips on his. I don't think I had ever kissed Pein this hard. Even he was taken aback. I gripped onto his hair hard, and I heard moans come from Pein.
Once I had finally pulled away, me and Pein were breathing heavy. I stared into Pein's eyes, getting lost in them so easily.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you." I whispered, still out of breath. The pain in my chest had finally gone away. Pein smiled, bringing me in for another kiss, and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.