Sasuke raced over the rooftops, loving the wind as it tousled his hair. The man slowed to a stop on the outer gate of the Uchiha compound and began to walk along its edge, moving closer and closer to his house. This place always reminded him of a grave yard, the homes here the holes that all happy Uchiha memories were buried within. This thought brought new tears to the males face and he let them fall down his cheeks as he leapt from the wall to stand in front of his large home. The thing hadn't changed since he'd left it. It made him smile a familiar smile that only this house would know to his face.

Sasuke hopped up the stairs and located his key under the false board at the foot of the door and unlocked the massive wood doors. He pushed on them as he turned the handles and welcomed himself into the musty gloom that made up the foyer. He walked in, entranced by the warmth that still felt like it lingered there. He rubbed the dust off the end table and placed his keys there, pulling the cloth off of the hanging mirror on the wall. He looked at himself in it for a few moments before he strolled farther into his home, uncovering furniture and spending the whole night cleaning up the dust and other things that had managed to amble into the corners due to his absence.

Sasuke was amazed that Sakura didn't come to his feet, begging for another chance, or to take him back by force. He fell asleep on his futon, sleeping easily and comfortably for the first time in a long time.

The sun slept later then an Uchiha did, but Sasuke was tired from cleaning all night that he had to wake up to a vague thumping downstairs. It sounded over and over again, five thumps every few seconds, and then a voice followed the noises.

"Sasuke! I know you're here, Sakura was in tears about you leaving!"

It was a female voice, one that Sasuke didn't care to place. But the mention of his former abuser and lover made him sit up, a hand running though his hair, which wasn't so much like a ducks rear end any more, but a little flatter, sinking under it's own weight as Sakura wanted to see what it would look like long. Sasuke shook her image from his mind sharply and made to get up, the thumping downstairs resuming.
He stood for only a few moments, before he missed the snuggling comfort of his futon and plopped back down to curl up on it. He pulled the blanket back up over his head and slipped back into his own world.

''''''
Ino stood at the door of the large Uchiha mansion and looked up toward the sky. He was here, and he was hiding. Ino didn't know why, though, Sakura had said they were so perfect for each other. She said that he had given her everything she ever wanted, and that he was so close to saying he loved her, so why would he run away?

Ino lifted her hands to bang on the door again, but stopped herself. She'd been at it for almost an hour, if he did want to answer, then he'd have done it. The platinum blonde turned to lean her back on the semi-dented door that she'd been abusing for a while. She waited there for a little while before she frustrated herself with all the questions that she was coming up with every time she hypothesized an answer to the biggest question - Why the hell Sasuke was hiding in his mansion and leaving Sakura crying in their apartment?

The blonde pushed off of the door and kicked off the porch, taking to the trees to make her way back to town, having to catch up with Sakura then meet Chouji for lunch.

''''''
Sakura sat on the couch, fuming. She had let her guard down and let him get away, and now that he wasn't here, right here under her thumb, Kami knows what was going on! Her Sasuke was doing something that she wasn't there to supervise.

Sakura growled lowly, cautious to not scream when the neighbors were home, or people were in the street. No need to raise alarm. The knob to the front door turned and she resumed her puffy, broken self. She cowered on the couch as Ino walked in, tossing her hair.

"He didn't answer."

Sakura looked up at her with sorrow all over her face. She let herself cry, though they were tears of anger more then the desperation that was masking her internal thoughts. Inner-Sakura was beating up an Inner-Sasuke she had just created. Sakura sniffed and then moved to sit up, her knees to her chest.

"Didn't answer? He's ignoring his visitors?" She let her eyes bug out in her confusion, as if it were the worst thing the world, but it was really better that way - she could sneak in and lock him in a room, no one would worry too much because it seemed that he didn't want to be bothered anyway.

While she was lost in her thoughts, Ino had sat down and patted her shoulder a little. She let the woman stare into space in what she thought was pure hopelessness. She glanced at the clock as it ran fourteen times and she stood up.

"I have to go, but you come to my house if you need to, I'll see you later," Ino said and then she was out the door.

Sakura got up and walked to the bathroom to clean up, then her room to dress, making plans to break into the Uchiha mansion after sun set.