Salvation

Epilogue

A few weeks had passed since the incident with Pein. Sakura had gotten back into the swing of things rather quickly-that was after a very thorough, very invasive, healing season with Tsunade.

Sakura had healed nicely. She had trouble sleeping when she first came back, and Tsunade expected that. She gave Sakura a few concoctions to help with the tremors, but ultimately it helped talking it out. Tsunade was a great listener, and she understood just how Sakura was feeling. She empathized with the young woman on a level Sakura was pleased with.

She had yet to talk to her teammates about her ordeal, finding it hard to explain to them everything she had gone through. She knew how protective they were and how upset that would be if they knew what happened to her. Maybe one day she would tell them, but right now, it was easier to leave things unsaid, and to her surprise, Kakashi, Sasuke, and even Naruto never pushed her to tell them.

They did, however, inquire as to the marks on her skin. Those could never be healed. She was stuck with them for life. At first, she hated it. She scrubbed her arms until they were raw, tried burning her back with scalding water, anything to rid her body of the wretched symbols.

She hesitated at first, when Naruto had asked about the symbols. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke, all eyed her wearily. She lifted her sleeves slowly, showing the branding that had been done to her. She turned around, pulling her shirt up for them to see the line of treachery that now marked her smooth skin. She flinched when she felt a hand brush lightly over the wound, pulling her shirt down quickly, she turned around to see the tail end of Sasuke's hand coming to rest by his side.

"Those bastards," Naruto said, his anger flaring up. Sakura rested a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Naruto," Sakura said, and Naruto snatched his arm away.

"No it isn't! We couldn't protect you, Sakura-chan. We didn't even know you were missing at first! We were on a mission while you were there going through all that you went through. I know it was horrible for you, and to see that they now left marks on you for life," Naruto shouted. Tears began to leak from his eyes. "It's a reminder of how weak we all were and how we weren't there for you."

Sakura grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "Listen, Naruto, I used to feel the same way about myself. I wished I could claw these marks off because they just reminded me of them, of how weak I was to be captured in the first place," Sakura began, Naruto looked up, as if about to say something, but Sakura stopped him. "But now, Naruto, now I look at it as a mark of survival. Yuna, um, I mean, Rin, also has these marks." Kakashi looked away, still very raw about Rin being alive this whole time and he not realizing it. "I've overcome this, Naruto, and you have to also. If you don't, that means they win, and we can't let the future Hokage, lose, now can we?" Sakura smiled and Naruto nodded his head, giving her a thumbs up, although he continued to cry.

Kakashi disappeared quickly, clearly going to see Rin, and Naruto began to walk away. Talking about how he needed to go see Hinata and get some ramen. Sakura stood alone with Sasuke and he eyed her. He stepped closer, and Sakura kept her resolve and didn't move back. His fingers ghosted over the markings on her arms, leaving goosebumps in his wake. Sakura almost shivered, but kept her body from moving. Sasuke was touching her on his own accord. She wasn't going to mess this up. He gazed into her eyes, his body moving closer, but he stopped, as if suddenly aware of their closeness. He stepped back, whispered "I gotta go", and took off in a swirl of leaves.

That had been over a week ago, and she had yet to see the Uchiha since. She wondered what he was thinking. Why is he avoiding me? Sakura turned back to her patient, ridding her mind of her thoughts, and got back to what she loved doing.

Sasuke hesitated outside of his apartment, debating on what he wanted to do. His mind was a mess, and it had nothing to do with Itachi, and all to do with the lone female on his team.

She didn't offer any details of her ordeal, and he didn't pry, but he knew she had suffered greatly. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but one morning he was reporting to Tsunade on a mission he had just completed when he heard Sakura's voice coming through the door.

"I'm having trouble sleeping at night. I just keep imagining their faces, the needles going into my arms, the hot torches melting my skin, and I can't move. I can't wake myself up. When I finally do, I often find myself screaming, and the bed soaked from all the sweat. I just don't know how to be myself again," Sakura admitted. An ache formed in Sasuke's chest, as he listened to her words. He didn't want to hear this, he couldn't hear this. It had been because of his stupidity and weakness that he wasn't able to protect Sakura. He backed away slowly, deciding to come back later. He needed to clear his head, but he also knew he couldn't face Sakura at that moment.

When she had showed them her burns, it took everything in him to keep from screaming. He didn't want her to have to live with this. She shouldn't have to live with it. She was innocent and pure, a good soul. She didn't deserve this. Such things were meant for monsters like Itachi, and himself. She had been scarred in one of the worst ways possible, but she kept smiling and talking and hanging out with all her friends. She kept moving forward and he respected her more for that.

He thought back to that fateful day when they had finally rescued Sakura. She had broken the genjutsu, freeing them of the illusion they were trapped in. The moment Pein had grabbed Sakura's hair, Sasuke's body moved instinctually. He moved faster than he ever did before, the katana slicing through the arm before he could even register unsheathing it. He hadn't felt fear like that since the night of the massacre. His heart burned with hatred for Pein, but also for something he was feeling for Sakura. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He didn't know what she meant to him yet, but he knew it was more than a teammate, more than a friend. She was something more. But, he didn't deserve her. She deserved so much better. Someone like Naruto, who had nothing but good intentions.

He continued to pace, trying to decide if he should go and talk to the girl he had avoided for the past week.

Sakura finished up with her rounds, sitting down at her desk in her office. She stared at the paperwork covering it and sighed. Her head was pounding and all she wanted to do was take a nice, long bath and rest.

A knock came upon her door, and Sakura looked up. "Yes?"

The door opened and Shizune walked in. "Sakura, you should go home already."

"I would, but I have so much paperwork to do."

"I got this. You need to go home," Shizune said to her. Sakura was about to protest but Shizune put up her hand. "No, for once in your life, Haruno, listen to your elders!"

Sakura gave her a sideways glance, and nodded her head. Grabbing her bag, she headed for the door, slipping out. Shizune smiled, grabbing the paperwork off the desk. "Plus, there's someone who's been pacing outside the hospital for the last hour," Shizune said to herself, grinning.

Sakura walked out the door, sighing as the crisp, clean air blew through her hair. She straightened slightly, and began heading toward her house. She wasn't watching where she was going, and bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sakura said, looking up to see who she had ran into. Her eyes widened at the man before her.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, his hands in his pockets and his face stoic.

"Sa..Sasuke-kun," Sakura stuttered, urging her mind to get a hold of herself. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to see you home," Sasuke said and Sakura gave him an odd look.

"See me home? I'm perfectly capable of making my way home on my own, Sasuke-kun," Sakura began. She started to walk by him, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"I know that, Sakura, but I wanted to," Sasuke said, and Sakura almost fainted.

"Well, okay then," Sakura said.

"How are you doing?" Sasuke asked, and Sakura was about to reply okay, but Sasuke interrupted. "And don't just say you're fine. I know you're not, so be honest."

"I'm...I'm trying," Sakura said, not really sure what she meant by those words. "I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not myself, but I'm trying to get back to her."

Sasuke nodded his head. "If you need to talk, I'll listen."

Sakura stopped walking and turned to look at him. "What?"

Sasuke's eyebrows raised slowly in question.

"I'm just surprised, is all," Sakura began and Sasuke moved to walk beside her once more.

"I'm also trying," Sasuke admitted and Sakura smirked.

"That's good, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. She put her hands in her pockets, fiddling with wads of paper that resided inside. "Tsunade has sent out ANBU teams to locate Pein, Konan, and anyone else in that network."

"I heard," Sasuke said. He stopped walking and Sakura stopped, turning to look back at him. "I wanted to go with them, but because of probation I wasn't allowed."

Sakura moved closer to him, giving his arm a squeeze. "They will get them, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. She hesitated before asking her next question, scared for the answer. "What do you plan on doing once your probation is up?"

Sasuke looked at her face. She wouldn't look him in the eyes, and he almost wanted to scream. She still doubted him, even now? "I'm not going to leave, Sakura," Sasuke said, and Sakura's face shot to look up at his, her eyes wide with amazement. "I still want to accomplish my goals, but I also realize the best place to do that is here, and the best people to do that with is Team 7."

Sakura felt her eyes glaze over at his confession. She felt bad for doubting him, but how could she not. She didn't want to think that they weren't enough even now, but she was wrong. Sasuke just admitted he did need them.

"I'm so glad, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said and Sasuke smirked, wiping her tears from her cheeks, before resuming their walk.

Sakura could feel warmth spread to her cheeks she walked a couple steps behind Sasuke to regain her composure. "Rin is getting better every day. She's starting to get some of her memories back. She doesn't remember a lot, but Tsunade says her prognosis is very good. She's working at the hospital, too." Sakura wasn't sure why she offered the information. Sasuke wasn't usually interested in things like that.

"Kakashi seems to be visiting her a lot. He's later than usual to the meetings," Sasuke added and Sakura laughed.

"Sounds like him."

Sasuke stopped walking, causing Sakura to almost run into him, again. He turned around, his face completely serious and Sakura suddenly got worried. "What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke stood, staring at her so intensely, Sakura had to break eye contact. "Sakura," Sasuke began, and Sakura chanced a look at his face once more. "I've been meaning to tell you something important."

Sakura felt her breath hitch, her chest get tight, her body freeze under the statement. Was he going to say he was lying earlier? Was he really leaving? Did he hate her or want her off Team 7? Was everything her fault? Was she...annoying?

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said and Sakura was sure she did not hear correctly.

"Huh?" Sakura said, not able to control the reaction as it came out of her mouth.

Sasuke moved closer to her, his body mere inches from her own. Sakura could feel his breath against her face, his hand as it lightly touched her own, and the intensity of his words. He meant them. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. For everything that was done to you. For not being there to protect you." His hand lifted slightly, pushing her hair behind her ears, and his touch was soft upon her cheek as he traced an invisible line from her ear to her lips.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, not really trusting her voice. "You don't have to be sorry. It isn't your fault. I'm not a damsel in distress. I can take care of myself, and when something happens to me, it isn't anyone's fault but my own."

Sasuke shook his head, his forehead coming to rest against hers. He closed his eyes, and Sakura caught sight of how long Sasuke's eyelashes were, how smooth his skin was, how angled his jawline was. He was beautiful.

He didn't open his eyes, but began to speak. "You don't understand, Sakura," Sasuke whispered, his breath tickling Sakura's face. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I need you in my life. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realize that. When Pein had you, when I thought you might die, I couldn't..." Sasuke trailed off, his face wrestling with his emotions. He opened his eyes, staring right into Sakura's. "I want to move forward, Sakura, I just don't know how."

Sakura felt her heart beating within her. She thought it was going to explode from her chest. She wanted to say something back. She had been waiting for this moment for so long; she had so much to say to this boy she'd love her whole life, but no words would come, so she did the next best thing. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. It was short and sweet, but it took Sasuke's breath away.

He backed away, looking baffled, and Sakura just smiled. "Uchiha, has anyone ever told you that you talk to much?" Sakura said and Sasuke couldn't help the smirk that graced his features.

Sasuke reached down and grabbed her hand into his own. He gave it a gentle squeeze, and Sakura looked over at him adoringly. "Let's go home, Sasuke-kun."

FIN

It took 9 years to get to this point, but this story has finally come to a close. Thanks to everyone who followed this story from beginning to end. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

I'm sure most people are aware of the ending of the manga. If you aren't please stop reading now. I just wanted to express my sincere happiness at the ending. I was happy at the conclusion, not only with the ships, but with the story itself. The only thing I would like to see is that gap between when Sasuke leaves the village and when he and Sakura actually become a real thing. Maybe Kishimoto will help us SasuSaku fans out one day and give us that much awaited story! Thanks again!