chapter 2

Sakura's eyes sprang open, heart pounding and still slightly groggy, she looked around checking her surroundings, she was in her room! (how did she get in here?) she wondered. Sitting up right , she hugged her knees to her chest. A smile crossed her face only seconds later at her sudden realization, " Sasuke-kun", she whispered.

Then out of nowhere she heard a noise come from her living room, she jumped out of bed and quickly grabbed her kunai she leaves under her pillow.

Quietly and stealthily, she made her way towards the living room . When she arrived Sakura stood horrified at the sight she saw. Sasuke thrashing and his long spiky black hair matted with sweat, groaning like he was in pain, Sakura's heart twisted "Sasuke-kun" she whimpered, he was having a nightmare.

Sakura bent down beside him, she summoned chakra to her hands and placed them over his forehead , slowly he started to calm down and lie still, his panting slowed and his face began to soften. Sakura sighed in relief.

Then in a split second her hands were grabbed and she was pinned to the ground arms over her head and Sasuke' s full weight on top of her. He was even faster than she remembered.

"Sasuke-kun"! she managed as the wind was knocked from her lungs.

"Sakura"?! He gasped looking at her confused

" You"... She gasped.. "You were having a horrible nightmare, I heard you and I-I was trying to help you go back to sleep". Medical ninjutsu can ease it", she said voice barely above a whisper.

Sasuke, still on top of Sakura, looked down at her face, it was contorted in a way he'd only seen once.. their first encounter with Orchimaru in the forest of death all those years ago, when he trapped them in genjutsu.. A gut wrenching realization hit him ( she was afraid.. because of him, he had frightened her and hurt her.. tsk... when all she was doing was helping him. As usual!!!) he yelled internally.

Sasuke, then realized he had summoned his mangekyo sharingan. No wonder she was so frightened.

Quickly Sasuke got off of her and helped her up, he heard her gasp for air.. He had hurt her..

"Sakura", I..

" It's ok Sasuke-kun, it's my fault I startled you, are you alright"? Sakura asked voice heavy with worry

"Never mind me"( like always thinking about me, never mind I just pinned you to the floor and knocked the wind out of you).

Sakura looked at him unconvinced

"Are you alright" he asked. His voice sounded almost angry, he was looking down his eye covered by the shadow of his hair. (Was he angry at her for waking him?!)

"I'm fine, Sasuke-kun" she said with a sweet smile. " I'm sorry, for waking you, she said holding one arm shyly".

Sasuke sighed. "You didnt", he said finally looking at her. "Oh" Sakura said with confusion, "Then.. then wh-

"It was a nightmare, I just snapped out of it" he snapped, anger more present in his tone.

She paused for a moment, hurt she said, "O-ok, goodnight Sasuke-kun".

Sakura turned slowly and started back to her bedroom, until something.. rather someone caught her arm. Sakura turned to find Sasuke staring at her, his face apologetic.

"Sasuke-kun"? she said almost breathlessly.

"Sakura, I-I, I'm sorry". Sakura's memories flashed back to Sasuke and Naruto' s final battle, when he finally broke down, when he finally came back to her.

Sakura smiled, " You damn well better be, you jerk".

What seemed like relief washed over Sasukes features, though she couldn't tell for sure it was dark in her living room, after all it was past midnight.

" Would you like some tea" Sakura asked hopeful he wouldn't decline.

Sasuke stood quietly not saying anything, Sakura started making tea anyway.

After the tea was made, Sasuke and Sakura retired to the couch, both sipping tea in blissful silence, until surprisingly Sasuke spoke up first.

"The land of Iron" he said.

Confused Sakura looked up from her tea over at Sasuke. "What"? She asked.

"My nightmare, it was.. about that day in the Land of Iron"

Sakura finally understood...the day he had almost killed her. "Sasuke-kun".. she started

" Its gotten worse these past two nights, since I've been here".

"Oh.. I'm sorry Sasuke-kun", she said sadly her heart breaking a little.

"Don't do that" he said as if scolding her.

"Do what"? she asked confused.

"Blame yourself, it's not your fault I have these nightmares... it was my doing, I almost... tsk..he couldn't finish, he turned his face away from her.

Sakura knew what he was going to say ( he's still guilt ridden about almost killing her, and he had been having nightmares about it). Sasuke gripped hid tea cup so hard, his knuckles turned white. He needed to get out of here, he felt tears sting his eyes, (So weak, since when do i cry)! he thought to himself.

"Sasuke-kun" I-

Sasuke got to his feet and made a bee line for the door. " Sasuke-kun" Sakura yelled after him.

Sasuke ignored and walked out the door but this time Sakura went after him.

After quickly putting on her shinobi sandals she high tailed it after Sasuke, bobbing and weaving through the quiet village she followed him at high speed for about 20 minutes when they reached the village gates. Sakura's heart sunk (was he planning too..) She shook the idea out of her mind, he wouldn't, would he?

Sasuke stopped on the stone trail leading out of the village with his back to Sakura, she caught her breath. She looked up to where Sasuke stood staring, straight a head, not even acknowledging her presence behind him.

" You should go to bed Sakura, What are u doing out here?" he spoke finally. Sasuke's stomach tightened at his words, the exact words he had uttered the first time he left.

Sakura felt her heart tug, a lump rose to her throat and the threat of tears stung her eyes. It was just like the first time he left..all those years ago.

"Sasuke-kun", You don't need to blame yourself anymore.. I forg-

" I almost killed you, how could you still care this much about me"! Venom touched each word he spoke.

"Because.. She took a deep breath, because I love you, Sasuke-kun. He stood silent for what seemed like an eternity then finally, " I've heard that before, but what does it mean exactly"! He said sternly, he needed to know why she felt so much love for him, when he didnt deserve it.

Sakura smiled with her eyes shut, " It means that, I put you before even myself, your needs.. your wants, it means that I care about your life more than my own, and when I see you hurting, just like you are now, I feel like i can feel your pain too, and I would do anything to take it away, even it meant that I had to take all the pain on myself, just so you could have happiness! At this point hot tears were flowing down her face and her voice had become shaky.

Sasuke's eyes widened at her words, and without warning he felt the tears burn his eyes once more, but this time he could not stop them.

Still in tears, Sakura looked up at Sasuke who still stood only 5 feet in front of her, then her eyes shifted down, that's when she noticed...his legs were shaking, her eyes widened as she looked up to find his shoulders starting to do the same. He was...crying. He turned his head in a way she could not see his face, they were shadowed by his long bangs, but she did see his tears hit the floor like boulders.

"You really are annoying"!

Sakura gasped. ( it's just like those other times) she thought. She knew what it meant now, when he had said it the first time leaving the village, and right before his battle with Naruto, each time it had been after a confession of love, her love for him. She knew now it meant she wasn't really annoying in the regular sense, but annoying because.. somehow, someway, she got to him.. to his heart.

Sakura sighed. "Sasuke-kun", even if i am, you have to stop beating yourself up, I forgave you long ago".

"Does me almost taking your life really mean that little to you"?!

Finally fed up Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs "Then by your logic, should I still be beating myself up inside too, is that it"?

Sasuke looked taken aback by her outburst

" Are you forgetting, that I'm no better! " I only went there that day to kill you"! She exclaimed.

Sasuke stood silent. He had never looked at it that way before.

"Sasuke-kun, I had every intention of killing you that day, I had watched you slip further and further into darkness, and once the Raikage marked you as a rouge ninja I knew I couldn't let Naruto have that on his hands." " I-I couldn't watch you slip further anymore" she sobbed.

" I thought I could do it but I just couldn't I still loved you so much, no matter what you had done."

There was a long pause neither of them moving even the slightest.

Sasuke finally turned his body to face her, What he saw made him freeze again. Sakura was crying uncontrollably, with her head down.

" I-I should be the one who is sorry"! If I hadnt done what i did, you would have never retaliated, and you wouldn't be tearing yourself down right now and dealing with this guilt! I'm so sorry Sasuke-kun"! " I'm so very sor-

Sasuke was in front of her in a second, he put his hand on her shoulder and jerked her upright and looked into her eyes. "Dont Sakura, don't blame yourself, You have nothing to do with my sins".

" Sasuke-kun, if I hadn't advanced toward you, would you have attacked me"? Sakura asked. There was a long pause, "No", Sasuke admitted.

"And did you know I was planning on killing you, when I said I wanted to join you, then hesitated at your request to kill Karin"!? Sakura said a little louder. Sasuke's jaw tightened, "Yes", he uttered quietly.

"Then it is my fault also Sasuke-kun, stop tearing yourself down please", she looked up to him eyes pleading.

Sasuke looked into her eyes, and felt the most refreshing wave of relief hit him, it was like a thousand pounds was lifted of of his chest. He began to feel that all to familiar flutter he got when he look at Sakura.

Slowly raising his hand, Sasuke tapped her forehead with his index and middle finger, and gazed at her like he had the day he left for his journey, Sakura's heart pounded wildly .

As he retracted his touch, he stared down to Sakura's tear soaked face, her big green eyes looked back at his onyx eye and rinnegan eye, in that moment they both knew they were both sorry for any hurt caused by either of them. Neither were perfect.

"Sakura", Sasuke said softly, their eyes still locked on each other. " Thank you", he said to her once again , Sakura's heart fluttered at the familiar gratitude, then slowly their faces began to draw closer until, their lips met.

They kissed at the village gates where it had all started for them, all those years ago. Sakura could feel her knees go weak , she was thankful Sasuke had his arm around her waist or she'd be on the ground.

Heat rushed to her face as well as the rest of her body, her head spun and her heart raced and just as she felt she was about to faint, he pulled away.

Still dizzy, she stared at him, eyes wide , trying to focus on not falling over.

She then locked onto his face, he had the faintest hint of pink on his cheeks..he was blushing. Sasuke looked into her eyes and gave her a genuine smile, a smile Sakura had never seen before. Sakura never felt happiness like she did in this moment.

They spent the rest of the night walking the vacant streets of Konoha under the moonlight. Sakura babbled about anything and everything while Sasuke listened while wearing an amused smirk

They eventually made it back to the apartment just as the the sun was rising, they stopped on the ledge of her apartment to watch it. " Oh it's so beautiful, I love sunrises" Sakura said voice full of wonder.

Sasuke watched her as she looked at the sunrise mesmerize by it's beauty. She glanced back at him and flashed him a loving smile. "Should we go in now" Sakura asked.

"Aah", Sasuke said as he nodded once. They went inside and sat together on the couch in comfortable silence until the morning completely took over Konoha. Sakura couldn't help but feel so happy and at ease, and little did she know Sasuke felt the same.