Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Recap:

"I still love him, Naruto..."

. . .

He got the blanket out of Sakura's backpack and laid her down to rest. Naruto sat down next to her, making sure that no one tried to harm her. After about an hour of silence, Naruto heard a rustling sound to his left.

"Naruto?" Asked the too-familiar voice.

End Recap.

"Itachi! Itachi!" Said a six year old Sakura, running toward him. Her chubby cheeks were flushed, her small arms and legs were moving as fast as a child's limbs could move. Her pink hair was pulled back in a red ribbon, given to her by Ino.

Just as Itachi turned around, she jumped into his strong arms.

"What's wrong, Sakura Blossom?" Asked Itachi with concern, just as Sasuke walked into the room with an irritated look on his face.

"Sasuke threw my special kunai into the pond!" Said Sakura, tears coming into her big, green eyes.

"Sasuke, why did you throw her special kunai into the pond?" Itachi asked with a sigh. 'Hn, children...'

"Because when we were training with the kunai's, she said that my aim was bad. I got mad," Sasuke explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's it?" Itachi asked, slightly amused, "Sasuke, go get Sakura's special kunai from the pond. What does the kunai look like, Sakura?"

"It's pink with cherry blossoms on the handle," Sakura said, becoming much happier.

"Well, you heard her, Sasuke. Go get her kunai or all of yours will go into the lake too.

"Hn," said Sasuke as he stormed out of the room. On his way out Itachi and Sakura could hear him muttering something about "push over" and "why do we have a pond anyway".

For the rest of the day, Itachi smirked while holding Sakura in his lap. They watched as Sasuke's head went above and then under the sparkling, blue water until he finally found it. Itachi made him give the plastic, pink kunai back to Sakura with an apology.

"Hn," said Sakura, sticking her tongue out at him.

Sakura awoke, very warm and comfortable.

'Am I in my bed? No, this isn't as soft. Wait, it feels like a pair of arms are holding me. Itachi, is that you?' Sakura thought to herself.

'Check again, sleeping beauty,' Inner Sakura said.

Sakura opened her eyes, letting her emerald eyes connect with the bright sunlight streaming in from between the leaves. Her eyes then locked onto a pair of onyx eyes. She was at a loss for words.

"Sasuke... how? … why?" Sakura asked, finding it difficult to form a question.

*Flashback*

After Sakura had left with Naruto, Sasuke felt cold. The air around him suddenly chilled him to the core, each second passed in disbelief.

"I just let Sakura run away from me,"Sasuke said in realization. He sat down against the trunk of a tall tree, his elbows were propped up on his knees. He covered his eyes with his hands, the hands that were playing with Sakura's beautiful hair just minutes ago.

"What have I done?" Sasuke muttered to himself,

His self talk was ended when he sensed the ninjas that Naruto was warning them about earlier, come his way. He quickly opened his hideout, walked through the entrance, and hid it again. When Sasuke was positive that they were gone, he exited his hideout, walked back to his tree, and continued mourning to himself.

'Sakura, you're making me go insane,' he thought.

"I just let my best friend... the girl I love... my life walk away from me...," Sasuke said.. He let out a frustrated grunt as a silent tear ran down his face. He took a brief moment to decide what he was going to do. That's when he decided that it was time to take action.

'There's no way I can keep myself away from her now. I'm ready now, Sakura. It's time for me to love you,' Sasuke thought to himself, pushing himself off of the ground, and into the branches, motivated, 'I just hope that you still love me...'

Sasuke ran and ran until his legs begged him to stop. But he kept going, the thought of Sakura numbed the pain in his legs. He slowed down to a brisk walk when he started to feel Naruto and Sakura's chakra. Sasuke jumped onto the ground silently and made his way to his former teammates, wiping the perspiration off of his forehead.

Sasuke pulled some big, green leaves aside and asked, "Naruto?"

Naruto tensed and got a kunai in his hand, ready to attack.

"What the hell do you want Sasuke? Are you here to hurt her some more?" Asked Naruto furiously, his face getting dark.

Sasuke winced as Naruto said that. Those words stung him like a slap in the face.

"No... Naruto," Sasuke said, "I'm here to apologize. I'm here because I love her."

Naruto hesitated as he loosened his stance, his face becoming gentle again. He knew that Sasuke was telling the truth.

"She's sleeping right now, but," Naruto said while walking over to Sakura and picking her up, "Here."

Naruto passed Sakura over to Sasuke. A small smile settled on Naruto's face.

"Team seven is reunited again? I always knew this day would come... although I didn't quite picture it like this," said Naruto, looking happily at Sasuke.

"Hn," said Sasuke, who was too busy trying to find a comfortable spot on the ground, with Sakura in his arms.

The two were silent, listening to the birds caw and cheep above them.

"Sasuke?" Asked Naruto.

"Hn?"

"Truce?"

After Naruto asked the question, everything went silent again.

After several moments of unbearable silence, Sasuke finally said, "Truce." He had the smallest of smiles on his face, while Naruto had a huge grin plastered to his face.

Naruto walked over to Sasuke and shook his hand, accepting the new bond that he and his old friend and rival now had.

'Finally... after years of searching, convincing, and fighting, Sasuke is finally coming home...,' Naruto thought, proud and happy that the 'bring Sasuke back' mission could finally be known as a success.

*End of Flashback*

"Sakura, you were right. I was a heartless bastard that chose revenge over you. And I'm sorry. I don't know what was going through my mind when I said that, but now I am thinking clearly and the only thing going through my mind is you, Sakura," Sasuke said, his silvery-black eyes staring into her green eyes, "I really do love you Sakura. Will you give me another chance?"

'Wow... who knew that you would be the girl to melt his ice-cold heart...?' Inner Sakura chimed in.

'He never had an ice-cold heart. He was just... a Uchiha. But what should I do? Should I say yes?' Sakura thought to herself.

'Is he hot?' Her inner asked.

'Duh."

'Then there's you answer.'

"Sakura, are you OK?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"Oh... yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking," Sakura said coolly, "But Sasuke... do you truly, dearly, honestly love me?"

Sasuke's arms tightened around her as he said, "Of course I do, with all of my heart."

'Can't you see that I really do love you? Please, say yes,' Sasuke silently pleaded to himself.

"OK, Sasuke. I'll give you another chance... but promise me two things," Sakura said.

"You know that I'll do anything for you...," Sasuke said, his finger locking perfectly into her's.

Sakura smiled softly and said, "Promise me that you'll come back to Konoha. Promise me that you won't leave me again..."

"I promise Sakura. Thank you for giving me another chance. I promise, you won't regret it," Sasuke said while standing up, Sakura still in his arms.

Sakura leaned in for a kiss, which Sasuke happily returned.

"Well, if your done with all of that mushy lovey-dovey stuff, can I say something?" Naruto asked with a lopsided smirk.

"TEAM SEVEN IS FINALLY BACK TOGETHER! WHOO!" Naruto yelled happily, running over to his teammates with his fists punching the air. He gave them a big bear hug, trying to keep his excitement level down.

"Finally...," Sakura said under her breath, reading her teammates' minds.

E person :)

4-10-11

edited on 6-18-11