Sakura sat by Sasuke's bedside, the steady beeping of hospital equipment creating a lullaby for her tired mind. The sun had long since set, and she wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. But she couldn't bring herself to leave Sasuke's side. He had been brought him a few hours prior, critically injured but miraculously still alive. She wanted to be there when he woke up, to scold him for running away and thank the Gods for his survival.
The ticking of the clock blended with the beeping of the machines. Together, it was music, begging her to rest.
Sakura was confused. Her love for Sasuke had never wavered – not in the slightest. But in his absence, new emotions had surfaced. Anger at how he had abandoned her and Naruto; hate for how apathetic he was toward them; guilt for having been unable to stop him; betrayed by how he had thrown away their friendship.
The pounding of her troubled mind pulsed over the ticking and the beeping. She would not sleep.
Resting her head in her hands, she sighed and tried to organize her thoughts. In the past, Sasuke had been the picture of perfection, someone to be placed on a pedestal. Now she saw he was just a flawed and broken teen, like a porcelain doll that had been chipped away at by years of abuse.
Part of her wanted to be like everyone else; to run away and abandon the damaged person he really was. The other half wanted pull him closer and try to heal him. The first part seemed to be the judgement of her brain; wise and rational, the smart option everyone would support. The second seemed to be her heart's intuition; sympathetic and caring, doing what felt right.
For once, Sakura was going to follow her heart.
The beating of said organ began to fill her head, lulling her to sleep with its calming steadiness.
Author's Notes: Yeah, I know this drabble is kinda similar to the one I did of Sasuke, but I still like it. I hope you guys do, too.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Naruto' or any of its characters.