The news of Ino's stabbing was devastating for many. Other villagers were worried that the masked perpetrator was still on the loose again to hurt others. The only one to remain calm was no one other than Sakura Haruno. When anyone tried to tell her about her ex best friend getting stabbed, she almost smiled and disappeared into the shadows. Many were suspicious of her carelessness, but others; like Naruto, thought she didn't care because they weren't friends. But many didn't really seem to mind about either. The Hokage herself confronted Sakura about Ino after she heard that she didn't care.
Though the news spread quickly throughout Konoha, only one wasn't told. And that was the only known Uchiha. He strolled through the streets of Konoha not knowing what happened to Ino. As he was searching for her, he got worried. He stopped to ask Ino's friend Hinata.
"Hey Hinata, do you know where Ino is?" He asked the shy white eyed girl.
"S-Sasuke, y-you didn't hear?" Hinata asked the raven haired boy.
"What happened? Is she on a pop mission or something?" Sasuke asked hiding the worry in his voice.
"La-last night, s-someone broke into h-her house and sh-she was-s…" She trailed off.
"Was what?" He demanded to Hinata.
"Sh-she was s-stabbed in th-the s-stomach… she's in the h-hospital now." Hinata managed to say. Before she knew it, the Uchiha was gone.
As Ino layed in her hospital bed, she dreamed. She remembered her day with Sasuke at the Konoha Spring Festival. She thought of Kiba and Hinata kissing in open. Then, she remembered Sakura. She remembered when she felt something funny in her kunai pouch when she fell. Lastly she remembered being stabbed in the stomach by an unknown masked person and the pain of being stabbed.
Sasuke sat at her side with his head buried in his hands. It was like a painting, the two most beautiful ninjas in Konoha side by side. The only down side was that Ino was unconscious with an IV in her arm and Sasuke was buried in his hands. He visited everyday; from before visiting hours, and after visiting hours. He convinced the nurse to let him stay extended with his charm. The only reasons he left were to change, shower, sleep, and eat. Since there was only one visitor allowed, Inoichi used the 45 available minutes to sit at his daughter's side. Every time Sasuke left Ino's room, Sakura followed him and lusted towards him, which he ignored. He didn't want anything to do with Sakura, besides being former teammates. But she obviously wanted to be more than that. Sasuke ignored her until Sakura made a mistake in her choice of words.
"Hey Sasuke-kun, want to come to my house?" Sakura asked very giddy.
"Hn." He replied walking towards his apartment.
"Oh come on, Ino isn't even worth your attention, I am! She's a useless and weak whore." Sakura said angering Sasuke who stopped in his tracks. "She isn't as strong, beautiful or as smart as I am!" She bragged not knowing what Sasuke was going to do.
"Maybe you think that, but I don't. She is not useless. She is not a whore. She is stronger than you. She's more beautiful than you'll EVER be. And don't you remember she graduated at the top of the class Haruno? Can't stand any competition? Well fucking deal with it." Sasuke said to her like a punch in the stomach. "And you're useless, and a whore." He turned around not changing his expression.
He walked away and Sakura stood there dumbfounded replaying the scene in her mind. Her only love, or so she thought, couldn't stand her. He hated her. She walked up to him right behind him.
"Don't you even dare follow me Haruno." Sasuke said without turning around.
"Why Sasuke? Why don't you like me?" She yelled. "I love you! You're my only love!"
"Figure it out for yourself." He disappeared into his apartment as Sakura stood there staring at the door. "Who am I kidding? Ino has a way better chance than I ever did… I was beat from the start…" and with that thought in her mind, she ran to the Hokage.
It had been a week since Ino had gotten stabbed by her friend. Sakura was completely alone. No one dared to talk to her after what she had done to her friend. Lee and Naruto had left her alone, but she shooed them away when they tried to cheer her up. She felt isolated and alone. She stopped wearing her leaf headband and wore the ribbon Ino had given to her when they were children. (A/N: In this one she still has the ribbon.) It felt good to wear something her friend had given her. Ino might not have considered her a friend anymore; but to Sakura, she was. And in order to rekindle their friendship, she'd have to show her Ino could call the shots.
Ino had made progress in her resting. Her health was showing signs of improving and her scar was decreasing. She had two surgeries on her stomach in order to fix it. Inoichi was very glad to hear that his little girl would be okay. He had been hoping she'd be out of the hospital by the next day. And he and Sasuke followed the same schedule everyday. But Ino was never alone in the room. Over nights, Sakura would stay by her side apologizing and hoping she'd wake up. Due to her nurse's access, she could do anything.
She had backed off for several days after Sasuke had told her off. She still couldn't believe that he had thought of her that way, so spineless. After Sasuke had left three years ago, she finally figured out that she had to do things for herself; and not to always depend on others. Ino had helped her find out that she was a person. That she shouldn't get picked on. And for that, Sakura was forever in Ino's debt.
Even though it pained her to think this, she now secretly wanted Ino and Sasuke to end up together. They were the hottest, smartest and most compatible couple in Konoha. One word basically. Perfect. Sakura was just too blinded by her love for Sasuke to see it. So she thought she should make amends with him. She just wanted to at least be friends with him. Not just former teammates or enemies.
Sakura ran into the hospital to Ino's room and caught Sasuke's arm just before he entered her room.
"Sasuke," Sakura said shortly. He turned and glared at the jade eyed female.
"I just want to apologize. I was mean. Out of line." She then admitted," Jealous."
"Hn"
"Will you please forgive me Sasuke? I truly and deeply mean it. I've seen the errors of my way." Sakura finally told him.
"Tch. Fine, Sakura," and he walked into Ino's room.
Inside, the head of the Yamanaka clan, Inoichi, was there speaking to his unconscious daughter.
"Oh Ino. Please wake up," he cried over his daughter. "Please. I'm begging you Ino."
When he saw Sasuke enter the room, he stopped shedding tears and stood up with his hand on Ino's gentle cheek. He bent over and kissed it. Then, he departed the room leaving Sasuke inside and Sakura outside of the door. He nodded towards the pink haired girl and left.
Sasuke took Inoichi's place and sat next to Ino's bed. He stared at her beauty. Her soft cheeks, creamy skin and tangled long blonde hair. He only wished he could see her brilliant ocean blue eyes. For he hated that she was asleep; there was nothing and no one to smile about.
His dark onyx eyes trailed over her face again. So soft and beautiful. He put the back of his hand over Ino's cheek.
"Ino, wake up." He said softly. Sakura was still standing outside the room with glazed eyes trying to hold them back. She sniffled and Sasuke turned to see Sakura was crying on the floor against the wall. Tears were streaming down her light skin, trying to hide her face with her pink hair. He walked over to the crying girl and stood there. He could see now that her apology was serious.
"S-Sasuke… I-I'm sorry…" she whimpered
He still stood there not knowing what to say. "Hm, Sakura." He said. She slowly looked up at the raven haired boy. "I guess that… we can be just friends." And he held his hand out to her. She stopped crying and wiped her tears away. Sakura took his hand and stood up. "
"I-I'd like that Sasuke." She said shyly.
They both walked into Ino's room and sat at either side. Sasuke on her left; Sakura on her right. They both stared at the golden haired girl laying in bed.
"I have a question, Sakura." Sasuke said low.
She looked up to see him still staring at Ino as if searching through her face.
"Why aren't you and Ino friends?" He finally looked up to the jade eyed girl.
"Well, when we were kids, she and I both had a crush on you, " she began, "and I thought it would be best if we remained rivals so that one of us would win."
"Win what?" He asked confused.
"You." She finally said and looked back down at the sleeping girl.
"Do you think that she still likes me? Because she doesn't show the same interest in me like she did five years ago." He said giving Sakura his full attention.
"I don't know. She said that she doesn't, but I can't be sure. She's very personal and private now."
"Oh." He simply said. He stared at Ino again, but this time his eyes were glued to her, as if in a trance.
Negative thoughts ran through Sakura's mind. She knew she didn't have a chance, but she still couldn't help but feel lonely. Everyone had abandoned her. Lee, Tenten, Hinata, Neji, and even Naruto. The man she thought would always long for her. He was one of her only comforts and someone who understood how she felt when Sasuke had left.
Some time had passed as Choji left Ino a basket of fruit to eat when she woke up. Shikamaru came to see how Ino was doing and left a little later. He didn't like it that one of his best friends was in a hospital.
The wind was flying through the open window blowing both Sasuke and Sakura's hair. The curtains flew and danced across Sakura's back. Then, someone else touched her back.
"AH!" Sakura screamed as she flung her fists back to whoever it was.
"Ow! Sakura-chan!" Naruto said rubbing his now red nose. Sasuke looked up from Ino and stared at the two with a blank expression.
"So how is Ino doing?" Naruto asked with cerulean eyes.
"She's bea-doing… better." Sasuke said looking back and forth from Ino to Sakura and Naruto.
"She should be waking up soon." Sakura said looking at Sasuke and Ino.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto called, "Do you like Ino?"
"Tch. Why would you even thing that?" Sasuke muttered biting the inside of his cheek.
"Because you've been sitting here ever since she got here." Naruto demanded at his best friend Sasuke who was trying to be cool about everything.
"I care about my friends."
"Sure." Naruto said sarcastically
"Hn." And he looked away from them both.
"Hey guys, do you want to go to Ichiraku's? I'm starving." Sakura suggested
"Sure, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said happily.
They all stood up to leave when a struggling sound came from the hospital bed. It moaned and Team 7 turned around instantly.
"Ino!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Hmph. What are you doing here Forehead Girl?" Ino said not knowing what happened when she was asleep.
"Oh, and Ino, I'm sorry. For everything. I just want to rekindle our friendship and make amends. I'm sorry for breaking our friendship. I'm sorry for getting in your way. And I'm especially sorry for stabbing you." Sakura smiled at Ino and then at Sasuke.
"I'll tell Tsunade you're awake Ino." Naruto said departing from the room.
"I'll go with him too." Sakura said tagging along.
No one had noticed- not even Sasuke- that the Uchiha was smiling. When Ino looked at the tall raven haired boy, he stopped smiling, but still had warm eyes.
"So, how long was I out?" Ino asked looking at Sasuke who was looking out of the window to the front of the hospital where Naruto had his arm around Sakura's shoulder.
"For a week and a half. You had a lot of people worried, Sakura, Shikamaru, Choji, me a little." Sasuke told her.
"You were worried about me?" Ino asked shocked.
"Well, you were seriously injured. Here, you need to eat." He handed her an apple from the basked Choji left her.
Sasuke was actually relieved. He could finally see her beautiful blue eyes and not see a beautiful lifeless girl in bed.
His dark onyx eyes looked into her ocean ones.
"How come you're looking at me like that?" Ino asked taking a bite of her apple.
"Looking at you like what?" Sasuke said arching his eyebrow.
"Like that." Ino said staring in his eyes confidently.
"Hn. Anyway, how do you feel?"
"Tired, sore and alone." Ino said sighing.
"Why do you feel alone?" Sasuke questioned the blonde girl.
"I don't know… I was dreaming that everyone I knew left me. Except you and Sakura unexpectedly." Ino confessed.
"We'd never leave you Ino."
"I don't know about Sakura though. She's not too believable to me anymore. I mean, she stabbed me to get to you."
"Maybe she'd leave you, but unlike her, I never would," Sasuke said making Ino's heartbeat speed up a little.
"You wouldn't? Well, its not that I don't trust you, but… remember when you left five years ago? I lost my trust in everyone and everything."
"I'm not like that anymore Ino. I've completed a dream, my dream to avenge my clan by killing my brother Itachi. There was just something unexpected happened when he died…" Sasuke said looking away from Ino and back out of the window.
"What happened?" Ino asked trying to meet his eyes.
"He valued my life over the village… and he was supposed to kill me when I was young, but he couldn't. I should have died Ino." He covered his face and said lastly, "When we fought, he could have killed me… so easily. But he still couldn't do it, and I killed him…"
"Sasuke…" Ino tried to get out of her bed to comfort him.
"It's okay Ino. The past, is behind me." Sasuke said showing a small smile.
"So you're done with your dreams and goals, and you're going to stay in Konoha?" Ino asked grinning at the boy sitting next to her bed.
"There's just one particular goal I haven't accomplished just yet." He said smirking and looking out of the window again.
"And just what is that goal Sasuke?" Ino asked still smiling.
He looked into her eyes and finally said, "To revive my clan."