When she sees Naruto and Ino talking over cigarettes at the bench, she knows that they secretly blame her. She can feel the disappointment, the anger. And oh how she wants to let the tears slip. But she has something valuable now. More so than anger. She has hope. In the little envelope she carries under her headband, is a secret. Her secret. It is hers because she is selfish. Because she craves recognition. Recognition for her new found strength, for her hard work, for her blood and sweat and cries. The kind that Naruto got. The kind that Sasuke got. The kind Hinata got. The kind she hasn't got.

…

Ino hates Sakura. She hates her for all the reasons she should love her. She is pretty, talented and stronger than she could ever hope to be. And she hates it; she used to be the strong one. She was the talented one. She was the pretty one. But now she was a chain smoking, weak, emotionally challenged alcohol enthusiast. But Sakura was a hard working, dedicated young women. (who always drew Sasukes eyes.) Ino rolls off Naruto and she knows he would never use Sakura like this. He wouldn't knock on her door at 3.00am with a pleading look in his eyes. He wouldn't scream Hinata's name. He wouldn't leave afterwards. He wouldn't do that. But he does, and he does it to her and it hurts. It's a pain locked so tightly in her heart that she doesn't know how to breathe. So she gets up and goes into the bathroom. And cries.

….

Sasuke stops running, he drops from the trees. Karin thinks this is very unlike him, to stop, to take a break. "Sasuke, why are we stopping?" she asks tentatively. "Shut up." He growls, a low rumble that makes her heart flutter. She knows it is unhealthy, but she can't stop. He looks around, panicked, eyes darting from left to right, breath hitching. Karin rushes to his side but he bats her away. "Sasuke?" He ignores Suigetsu. Karin, Juugo and Suigetsu all miss the shadows lurking in the branches, in the bushes. They don't see them until it is too late. They come out of hiding at an impossible speed. They catch everyone off guard but Sasuke. But even he is restrained. Out of the shadows emerges a girl. One that Karin doesn't know. But she can tell that Sasuke does. Because she doesn't miss anything. His eyes widen, black meets green in a fierce battle. Sasuke is the first to look away. Karin knows who she is.

…

"Sakura." He mutters, head bowed, restrained by a man dressed in all black. "Sasuke." She murmurs. Equally nervous. "We're going home." She says in a voice far stronger than Sasuke remembers. She looks at him with eyes far darker then he would like them to be. "No." she ignores his reply. He doesn't get a choice. Karin sees her shoudlers shake. Just a little. She sees Sasukes eyes go soft. Just a little. And she knows she never had a chance.

…

Okay short chapter I know im sorry. But I have plans. Big plans. Im sorry if my writing style annoys you but I like it so whatevs.

Thanks for reading xx Review and whatever