Optional OST: The kiss, A walk to Remember

She returned later that evening as the orange sun hung low over the frosty mountains. The fire was still crackling, no doubt a result of Sasuke's powerful fire jutsu. He was still sitting beside it, exhausted and chakra depleted from his life-threatening ordeal. His charcoal eyes eventually met hers from beneath his jet black bangs.

"I-I bought some tomatoes...," she stammered, gazing away from him. Part of her was still uncomfortable around him - after all, he had not invited her here. He had stressed that this journey of redemption was his, and his alone. And she sensed he most likely was not pleased with her seeing him in such a vulnerable position...

She silently handed him the bag of tomatoes.

"...Sakura?" Sasuke murmured.

"H-hai!"

"...You're acting weird."

Sakura gazed up with her gleaming emerald eyes in surprise. He was able to sense her discomfort...?

"Oh, it-it's nothing at all...," Sakura's voice trailed off but when his eyes continued to pierce hers, she continued, "...It's just...I showed up uninvited and, I didn't want you to think I came chasing after you even after you told me no...I - I promise that as soon as you're feeling better, I'll be out of here as quickly as I came." She donned a fake smile, the kind that had fooled Sai in the past, then turned to walk toward her side of the cave. "I just...had to make sure you were okay.". Sasuke was silent, yet if she had met his gaze, she would have noticed his eyes darken.

"Sakura..."

"Hm...?"

"You're annoying."

Sakura laughed. It was a small gesture, but she believed she knew what he meant. While at first these words had stung, they had since become a phrase she remembered fondly.

"Well, anyway, I'd like to take a look at your lungs now, if you don't mind."

"Right now?"
"Yeah."

"It's late."

"I know!"

"You're tired."

"I'm good," she playfully tapped the purple, diamond shaped seal on her head, "I recharge fast."

Sasuke paused, then nodded.

"And if you fall asleep, you fall asleep," she reminded him, "I don't need you to be awake."

"Hn."

She began work on his lungs, focusing intently on the collapse of his capillaries. She sent her chakra quietly through each capillary, coaxing each collapsed area to divide until it was once again whole. It would take hours, she knew, and may not entirely cure the disease, but...it was something she could do, for now, until she found a cure.

She suddenly felt herself being watched, and looked up to find Sasuke's own gaze focused on her hands, the green glow of her chakra reflected in his dark eyes. He said nothing, yet his staring was intimidating and...was that interest in his eyes...?

"You okay?" she asked, her voice soothing but concerned.

"Hn."

"...Tell me if you feel any pain."

"I will."

Silence.

She waited for him to speak, to say what was on his mind, but this was Uchiha Sasuke, and he rarely expressed with words what he felt deep down inside. Perhaps she would never acquire the art of reading his mind, like Naruto had.

However, he seemed to be able to read hers.

"How's dobe been...?" Sasuke sounded honestly curious. So different from the Sasuke-kun of the past...when he tried to cut us all out as hard as he could...Perhaps she had been too quick to assume that Sasuke would still be uninterested in anything occurring in Konoha.

"Oh, Naruto, he's been great! He got married last month!"

"He did?"

"Yes, it was beautiful."

"To the Hyuuga girl, correct?"

"Yes! We were all surprised he finally realized her affections for him...it took him long enough."

"I regret not being in attendance," his voice lowered.

"It's okay," Sakura reassured him, "I'm sure he understands. You can be there to meet his child in nine months instead."

"Hinata is expecting?"

Sakura nodded with a grin, "Yeah...she said I could help deliver..."

"An honor."

"I know..."

He paused; there was something different in his eyes. It was completely unreadable. I wonder if he still intends to restore the Uchiha clan...?

"And Kakashi?" He interrupted her thoughts entirely. He's interested in sensei, too?! I'll have to tell him when I get back, that will make him so happy...

"Good. Has his nose in his book every day, like he used to. Word has it that a new edition of the Icha Icha series is coming out, written by anonymous...I think it's written by him."

"The hell..."

"I know."

They both shuddered.

"...And you?"

The question took her breath away. She paused.

"I've been well, thank you," she smiled softly, "Ever since you helped me defeat Kido and his ninjas...that was you, wasn't it?" *

He avoided her gaze, if only for a few seconds.

"Yes."

"I knew," a faint smile crossed her cheeks, "Nobody else uses genjutsu like that, nor black flames...I could have sworn I saw you at some point..."

"Hn. I couldn't stay, Sakura."

"I know."

He looked questioningly into her eyes.

"I don't expect you to."

How the times had changed...if it had been younger Sakura, she would have begged, cried, screamed for his return. Now she had accepted it. Granted, the reasons were now drastically different, yet still...she wouldn't deny her heart missed him just as much.

How things had changed. Naruto was a married man, with a child on the way. Kakashi was no longer reading his books, but possibly even writing them. He was no longer on a quest to kill his brother, and Sakura...she hadn't told him much about her life. Perhaps for good reason she was still guarded against him. He had hurt her so many times, he knew, and couldn't possibly fathom being selfish enough to ask for anything different.

Was she still working for the children's hospital she had founded so selflessly? To improve the lives of children...just like him? What was her daily life like, now? And then he began to wonder something that surprised himself...

Had she found love in the arms of another man...? Another shinobi, or a civilian? She deserved the very best, and if she was happy, then so was he...but he wanted to know...

Did she still care for him...? Could that possibly be why she had showed up, just when he needed her most?

Part of him scolded himself for thinking that way, so childish and immature. What she felt was none of his business, yet...

When their eyes met, he still felt the same way...the way he had when he left the village, when his eyes met her tearful ones. Even as he had separated himself, he couldn't deny that in all the moments their eyes had met...there was something. Something unlike he had experienced before.

*Reference to the book Sakura Hiden, if you haven't read it yet, check it out!