Author's Note: I like Sasuke and Sakura and their darker relationship. This is my first ever Sasuke/Sakura fic and it's just a speculation piece done for my enjoyment. Not really supposed to be accurate to their abilities, so please don't flame me there.

While this does have a semi-plot, it may read like a string of one-shots, so be warned of that before you read

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Hammers and Hearts

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She steps out of the shadows, and even with the bone-white cat mask that hides her face, he recognizes the blood-splattered pink hair, and the shadowed glimmer of green.

"I'm taking you back."

He just barely dodges the earth shattering blow that leaves a small crater where he stood only a moment before. Landing lightly on his feet, he watches her rise from her crouch from the rubble and dust, and sees a girl he doesn't know. She pulls her mask away from her face, letting it drop to the ground and he thinks, No, not a girl. A woman.

She has grown even taller since he's last seen her, her limbs long and graceful, her uniform hinting at curves he doesn't remember. He notes the dark ANBU tattoo upon her arm and wonders if she is strong. She's kept her hair short and her green eyes darken with determination and something else he can't quite name.

Suddenly she is behind him, her body reared back, fist clenched. Sasuke vaguely thinks to himself that Sakura, who sobbed over his bleeding form after his battle with Haku and cradled his body as he screamed in pain from Orochimaru's curse mark, wouldn't attack him.

This can't be the girl who chased him everyday calling him Sasuke-kun- the girl he couldn't push away and wouldn't hate him no matter how hard he tried to make her.

"I'm taking you back Sasuke."

Ah. He realizes. It's just Sasuke now.

He lazily dodges the punch that comes dangerously close to his face and the backwards kick she aims at his throat. He notes the deadly chakra infused hands that aim at his chest and jugular and realizes she is no longer that Sakura, and he is no longer her Sasuke-kun.

They continue to dance with each other, dodging, attacking, weaving, leaping, spinning and it's like their own way of reacquainting themselves with each other. After a few minutes he leaps backwards, away from her deadly fists and stares at her, his expression blank, his eyes cold. She's sporting a darkening bruise on her right cheek and several small gashes up and down her arms.

"You've improved. But your efforts were useless Sakura. You can't convince me to go anywhere with your limited abilities."

She glares back at him and says, not angrily, "I haven't gotten stronger these past years to come and beg you to come back." She smiles a little. "I'm going to take you back with my own strength."

She comes at him again and he doesn't bother to jump away but catches her wrist and stops her. His eyes widen in surprise because suddenly her other hand is clamped around his arm and glowing green with chakra. A jolt runs up his arm to his shoulder and Sasuke finds it surprising warm and not painful.

He moves to leap away, but is stopped by her unnervingly strong grip.

"You always thought I was weak, Sasuke. I know that." She gives him a small, knowing smile and her eyes are gleaming with strength. "I was counting on you to underestimate me."

She releases him and he jerks away, already feeling the effects of her attack.

"My chakra is running through your body, disabling your chakra circuits and immobilizing your muscles. Soon you won't be able to move or power your Sharingan.."

Sasuke stares at her confidant face and wants to ask when Sakura became this skilled and wonders what else he's missed. He bitterly asks himself how it went so wrong and how this girl has managed to do what countless others, many stronger and more experienced than her, failed at. He fights the sluggishness taking over his body and glares at Sakura who is standing patiently, looking at him almost sadly.

"After I heard that you had defeated Itachi, I thought maybe you would return on your own," Sakura whispers.

Sasuke narrows his eyes at the mention of his dead brother and sharply replies, "You always were stupid. Why would I ever go back?"

His knees are shaking, and it's getting harder to stand. He sorely regrets holding back now and his hand twitches toward his katana, wondering if it's worth the effort. She sees his movement and is suddenly on top of him, pinning his body under hers, wrists trapped above his head, and keepings his legs down under her own. Her hair hangs around her face and brushes against his cheeks, and green eyes never break their gaze.

"Come back, Sasuke." Come back to me.

"Don't you know that I've killed Konoha ninja? I'm a traitor and I have no reason to go back."

Their breaths mingle and she smiles again, this time with more determination. "Then let me be your reason."

For a moment, he sees her again- that girl who refused to leave his side, called him Sasuke-kun, and tried so hard to shield him from the demons of his past. He remembers the quiet thank you he gave before leaving her unconscious, wondering if she would understand what he really meant to say.

Staring up at her bright eyes and hearing the strength behind her words, he wonders if he wouldn't like to do just that

Author's Note: Once again, reviews are welcomed and loved.

I hope Sakura defeating Sasuke isn't too unbelievable because I was really conflicted about that. I purposely made her an ANBU and had the element of Sasuke underestimating her so it was possible, but yeah.

I wonder if should add a second chapter to this as a continuation. What do you think? Well thanks for reading!