AN: I'm sorry for taking so long to post a new story, I was kinda busy with my other fics but here it is, the latest installment. Please forgive the retarded concept…It's longer and it's not as dark and depressing as the earlier stories, as I notice a lot of sniffs and cries in the reviews….enjoy! and please review!

I also want to clarify that each chapter is a separate story…chapters are not connected whatsoever. I see that a few are confused, sorry 'bout that.

Dedication: kawaiikaze.favz- for being more than grateful for my beta-ing and being so kind

Healing

No one really understands Uchiha Sasuke.

He is stoic, dangerous, mysterious and powerful. But then, he is also appealing and handsome; quite handsome indeed.

And then there was this desire for revenge, joining Orochimaru and allowing himself to be a ruthless killing machine.

Yes, no one really understands Uchiha Sasuke, even when they say they do.

For nights, he would just stay there and watch, enduring the discomfort of sitting on a branch.

Somehow, what he sees compensates for anything: discomfort, exhaustion and everything else.

Sakura was appalled when she first saw him.

She didn't know what was more shocking: that Sasuke was outside her window or that he was there every night without her even noticing.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"Why are you here?"

Sasuke did not reply. He instead looked in another direction. Attempting to know why he was there, Sakura persisted.

"Won't you go home now?"

"Hn."

With that, Sasuke jumped down and went his way, leaving Sakura puzzled.

Imagine how puzzled she was when Sasuke showed up the next night.

He was just sitting there, looking at her.

"Umm…Sasuke-kun, is there something you want to say?"

"Hn."

"Okay then, I'll go to sleep."

That was a lie, though. How could she possibly go to sleep when he was just outside, watching her?

And she wasn't an idiot, that she would be completely puzzled about his intentions. But she was scared to let those childish feelings take over her again. She wouldn't want to get hurt again.

Ever since Sasuke came back, bruised, bloody and near death, with Naruto dragging him along, he never said a single word to her.

She was distraught, of course, but she knew better and, being Sakura, she never forced him.

However, she did force Tsunade but even she said she knew nothing. Even Naruto couldn't give any solid story as to when he found him. Apparently, no one knew and she sought a little comfort from that. Sasuke just decided to shut up, take every punishment given to him, fulfilling every mission and endured the questions of everyone. He would not speak about those years he was gone.

And Sakura could only wonder what this man was doing, watching her every night.

So succeeding nights came and soon Sakura grew used to the presence of the Uchiha.

"Goodnight, Sasuke-kun," she would say before she would tuck in.

"Hn," he would reply.

All the people just think Sasuke is a handsome, brooding avenger; traitor to the village and Orochimaru's apprentice.

No one understands him; sometimes, even himself.

Sakura was shocked one particular night to find a tree branch empty before she got to bed.

"Why isn't Sasuke-kun here?"

But after she took a shower, the Uchiha was already perched on that branch.

"You're late."

"Hn."

"Goodnight then."

"Hn."

Sakura was the best medic nin in the village. It turns out that Kakashi was right, she could surpass Tsunade.

The hospital was a very busy place. There were a lot of patients ranging from the minor problems to those disastrous ones. It would either be a young boy with a tummy ache to an ANBU nearing death.

But today, the crowd has suddenly increased in number.

"Sakura-sempai," a nurse said,"Here is you're assignment for today."

Sakura took the clipboard wondering why the heck the nurse's face was red. When she read it, though, she understood.

Ah, so it's time for Sasuke's physical exam.

"Sakura-sempai is so lucky," a nurse said.

Sakura would blush if she wasn't annoyed at the sheer number of virtually fine people in the hospital.

Sasuke was sitting comfortably on a hospital bed when she entered.

"So, Sasuke-kun, are you okay?"

"Aa."

"Let's get this over with."

Sakura checked his muscles, asking occasionally if they felt fine.

"That's it, you're perfectly fine Sasuke-kun," she said after a while."

"Aa."

"Where are you going now?"

"Training."

"Ah, so you can go now."

"Hn," he said as he started to walk out.

He paused at the door.

"I'll see you later."

Sakura did a double take at him. He just smirked as he walked out. Now was Sakura's time to blush.

When Sasuke arrived later that evening, Sakura was already sleeping. But she left a cup of tea and a blanket for him.

"She must be tired," he thought.

And so he reveled at the taste of the calming tea and watched her, as he would always do.

Like a drug, just the sight of her sleeping would let him momentarily forget about everything.

"Sasuke-kun"

"Aa?"

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

Sakura was getting tired of this.

"Why won't you tell anybody anything?"

Sasuke glared at her. Sakura heaved a sigh.

"Why are you here?"

He glared harder.

"At least give me that."

It was Sasuke's turn to sigh. He should answer this. It's inevitable anyway.

"Because it calms me."

Sakura looked at him. She wasn't expecting an answer; much more so an answer as trivial as that.

She was glad he gave an answer, though.

Kakashi was a good ninja; above average, even. He was even in the bingo book because he was so strong.

But for a moment he doubted his abilities, he doubted his sharingan.

"Is that Sasuke?"

It would have been shocking enough for any person to see Sasuke sitting on a branch in the middle of the night.

But there's more. He was directly outside Haruno Sakura's window and still, it doesn't end there. He was listening, actually listening, to Sakura's animated impression of something.

Kakashi rubbed his eye.

Ooh, this one, he better know about.

Sasuke was training when Kakashi suddenly showed up.

It wasn't really great timing because he was almost hit by a kunai as he "poofed" in.

"Yo"

"Kakashi"

"Want to spar?"

Sasuke raised a quizzical brow.

"What do you need Kakashi?"

"What? Nothing," he said with fake innocence.

"Do I have to force it out of you?"

Kakashi, deciding he valued his life, admitted defeat.

"Okay, what were you doing last night?"

At this, Sasuke stiffened.

"So you saw"

"Yes"

Now Kakashi was amused.

"You don't understand."

"Then make me."

Kakashi was enjoying Sasuke's discomfort and Sasuke knew it.

"It calms me."

"Excuse me?"

Kakashi wasn't sure he heard right.

"What calms you?"

Sasuke glared at him but answered nonetheless.

"Her presence.."

"Oh, so you like her?"

"No"

"Liar"

Sasuke glared at him while suppressing a blush.

Well, did he like her? Sasuke didn't know. He will protect her, but like her?

On the other hand, he wasn't even sure she still likes him. She would talk to him before bed and she would call him Sasuke-kun but he didn't feel it. The warmth that was always there when they were children just grew a little cold.

Sure, she was still a friend but does she still like him?

"Fine," Kakashi said, breaking Sasuke's chain of thoughts, "I won't force you to say anything but you should think about it."

"About what?"

"Why her presence calms you."

And then Kakashi was gone.

"You calm me," he said unblinkingly one night as he sat on his usual branch.

Sakura did a double take. She just walked to the window, drying her hair after a shower. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, "he said stoically, never tearing his gaze away from her. She looked confused, of course.

"Why is that?"

He didn't reply, he only looked at her. She crossed her arms over her chest. Finally, after a few minutes,

he spoke again.

"I thought about it."

Sakura still looked confused and Sasuke continued his supposed monologue-like dialogue with Sakura.

"Kakashi told me to think about it," he added seriously. Sakura sighed. "I have no idea what you're talking about Sasuke-kun."

"I thought about it," he said again. Sakura creased her brows. "I came up with an answer," he added passively, although a light tinge of scarlet grazed his pale cheeks.

"I like you," he said all of a sudden that Sakura had to stop her eyes from bulging out and her jaw from dropping.

"E…excuse me?"

Sasuke just looked at her, the blush threatening to engulf his complexion now more persistent.

"Excuse me," she repeated, incredulous.

Sasuke abruptly jumped down from the tree and landed gracefully on the ground. Sakura looked down as Sasuke raised his head to call out to her.

"I'll see you tomorrow night and I'll tell you," he said softly.

Sakura just looked at him, dumbfounded.

"I'll tell you what happened," he said firmly that time. Then he walked away.

Sakura turned back to her empty room and allowed herself to fall from the bed. Then she stood up as she remembered something. She walked back to her window.

"Sasuke!"

His retreating form looked back at her

"You must know," she said breathlessly, "that nothing has changed."

He nodded slightly and continued his way home. But he cannot stop the tiniest of smiles from gracing his face because from what he heard, she liked him too.

And he knew that from then on, he would heal. From then on, she would heal him.

AN: is it lame? Please review? make this world a better place…teehee

And for ShikaIno fans out there, I'll have a new story up, it's a collaboration with Conspicuous Pink and it'll be entitled Overture to Entropy

Here's the summary: It was simply a dare but dares are stupid and they can lead to unexpected kisses, memories and all things in between. Who knew that after so long, they still had a connection? Then the prettiest girl is suddenly talking to the laziest genius; it could be trouble brewing or possibly...love? ShikaIno. AU.