Epilogue

xxx

Three days has passed since I last saw Sasuke.

Strangely enough, Gaara seemed to breeze over the fact that I had been there that night at all when he gave his report to Kakashi and Tsunade. At least, that's what I think happened. Tsunade told me he gave a report, but didn't say anything else that was interesting. If he told on me, I would have been getting an earful from her.

And since Gaara said nothing of my involvement, I was also off the hook with Kakashi.

As I thought on all this days after the event, I was walking through the village. Gaara came walking around the corner and halted. He gave a brief look behind him and then continued on to stand a few feet in front of me.

The silence stretched on, and it was tempting to just walk right on by rather than play this waiting game, but then he finally managed to speak.

"I'm sorry for stabbing you," he said.

"Oh, is that why you spared me from a huge inquisition? Because you almost killed me?"

He looked to the side. "It was never...I didn't mean to hurt you."

My mouth puckered. "You definitely have a funny way of showing it."

He rolled his eyes, something that reminded me so much of Sasuke that it hurt. "We're even now. Don't run off anymore to help vampires. You should have learned your lesson anyway. They don't care for humans, unless it gives them an advantage. They'll use you until you're dead, and then they'll find another."

I studied him. The way he spoke now resonated with me more. I was able to better understand his side and why he spoke that way.

"Seems to me that you're speaking from experience," I said.

He bristled, meeting my eyes head on. "I speak the truth. It's common knowledge."

I shrugged. "Just because you say something is common knowledge, does not mean that it is the truth."

There was no response from him after that, so I decided to step around him and continue on my way. I turned briefly, waving my hand once in the air. "Bye, Gaara. Have a safe trip home."

He watched me over his shoulder and scoffed. "I do not like you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Just because I can be civil with you now, doesn't mean I feel any differently about you."

He shook his head and walked away, the faintest smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

xxx

The edge of the village came up slowly, the cemetery visible from a long ways back. I hadn't been there for many years, not since my dad died. At least, that's what my mom told me, since I didn't remember.

I pushed the gate open and walked passed row after row of stones, the names and birth and death dates marked on all, though some were fresher than others.

Near the back right hand corner was where I found him.

Kizashi Haruno.

I sank to the ground, knees laying tentatively on the grass before the stone. My fingers grazed over the letters slowly, the memory of his death that I witnessed with Sasuke burning at the front of my mind.

Even though I didn't remember my father all that well, I would appreciate snuffing the life from his murderer, Itachi Uchiha, with my own hands. He was going to pay for what he's done to my family, and for what he's done to Sasuke and his.

When my finger rounded out the 'o' in Haruno, I stared at it for a little while longer before standing.

I searched some more, and they were a lot harder to find than my father's as the lettering was more worn on these stones.

Fugaku Uchiha. Mikoto Uchiha.

And Sasuke Uchiha.

I let out a quick breath before I sat in front of the one bearing Sasuke's name. Even though I knew it was just an empty grave, it made me feel closer to him anyway.

"So, Gaara apologized, can you believe that?" I said to the stone, adjusting my position to sit cross-legged. "How come I can get an apology from that asshole, but I can't get one from you?"

I stared at the stone like it was going to answer me back.

"And you know I deserve one," I said. "I deserve a big one, Sasuke. Apologize for practically kidnapping me. Apologize for endangering me. Apologize for making Suigetsu drop me off." I took a deep breath, my lips slightly quivering. "Apologize for making me care about you in ways that I shouldn't."

I looked down at my hands, fingers flexing and then balling into fists every few seconds.

"I'm sorry for how I took you," Sasuke said, his voice right behind me.

I whirled around, my elbow catching me from falling completely on my back. I looked up into his face, though his eyes were on his own grave behind me.

"I'm sorry for putting your life at risk. I'm sorry for the manner at which I made you go home."

"Sasuke-"

He held his hand up, cutting me off.

I stood then, finding it hard to breathe with my shallow intakes.

He took his eyes from his own grave and turned to me. "And I am sorry for the way you feel about me."

I couldn't find it in me to respond directly, so I changed the topic. "What are you doing here, Sasuke?"

His head tilted to the side. "I would think you'd know an apology when you hear it, or are you simply so accustomed to not receiving them?"

I bit the inside of my cheek to halt a smile. "Jerk."

He lost the joking glint in his eyes, sobering to the situation once again. "Sakura, I am truly here to explain. I owe you as much."

My mouth remained shut as I waited for this grand explanation.

"I thought that if I feigned nonchalance at Gaara's capture of you, he would spare you from harm. I have never used you as a weapon, nor had I any intention of doing so."

I shifted my weight, and grabbed hold of my left arm with the opposite hand. "You pushed yourself into my life, Sasuke. A part of me really thought what Gaara said was true. Why else would you work so hard at creating a relationship with me? There's nothing in it for you besides my connections."

He took a step closer then, and I had to crane my neck in order to keep eye contact.

"From the moment I saw you in the hall of my mountain base, I knew I needed to talk with you, understand you better. But, that was because you are a human. I have so little interactions with your kind, and since I knew exactly who you were to begin with, it made it all the more meaningful to me.

"And then I was able to learn more about you. You have a feisty spirit and a loud mouth. You say what's on your mind regardless of any sense of tact. You're strong, and you are willing to put yourself out there.

"I didn't form a bond with you out of necessity, Sakura. I formed a bond with you because you made me feel something for the first time in a millennia. You gave me a light that hadn't been there before, and I am very grateful for that."

My eyes widened, mouth parted slightly.

I couldn't help as a lone tear rounded over my cheek. I had been so worried that he really only needed me for some secret reason. But, he was genuine, sincere in this explanation. And it made me so happy.

Sasuke brought his hand up slowly, cupping my cheek as he had done just a few days ago in the woods. His thumb brushed the tear away as he furrowed his brows, eyes darting to my lips for the briefest of moments.

I knew he was going to leave after this conversation, and it would be a while before we saw each other again. So, I couldn't help myself from standing up on my tiptoes to kiss him.

His whole body stiffened under the connection, but slowly he melted into it.

Kissing Sasuke was like tasting the sun and moon and stars all at once.

Sun.

Moon.

Stars.

And I couldn't get enough.

xxx

THAT'S IT! I can't believe it T_T

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my story. :) I especially want to thank SarahxMariexUchiha for the shout-out she gave me in her own fanfic called Unsteady. She just started it, but I really like it, so you should give it a try: s/13280707/1/Unsteady

As I've mentioned before, this isn't the end for our lovely hunter/vamp couple here. I am making this into a series, and ultimately I am going to try to get it published by replacing the names and such, so make sure to look for updates on that! :)

Well, until next time!

~ARosySummer