If a picture is worth a thousand words…

He looked down at the picture that he had taken with him. Of her. He forcibly pushed her from his mind most times. Other times, he took out the picture and just looked. He remembered her. Her smile. Her scent. Her love. It was a cacoon that he wrapped himself in when things were at their worst.

If a picture is worth a thousands words…

He remembered the day she took the picture. They had returned from a mission and Naruto tried to take her by surprise and get a horrendous picture but it hadn't worked. Even surprised Sakura was beautiful.

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

He remembered the day he snuck into Naruto's apartment and stole the picture from him. He didn't know what possessed him to do it. It was liked some unnamed force was driving him to have a small part of her with him. Always.

When he returned home she saw him first. She stood frozen momentarily gazing into his eyes. He'd never admit that his heart was pounding wildly at their sudden reunion. He blamed it on the long trip home. The heat. Anything but the truth.

If a picture is worth a thousand words...

She didn't smile at him. She looked at him solemnly and motioned for him to come with her. He followed behind her not vocally acknowledging her form. Yet, acknowledge her he did with his eyes that he couldn't seem to tear from her body. He found himself soothed by her presence. She was the music that tamed the savage beast. She always would be.

If a picture is worth a thousand words…

He took his punishment but honestly he didn't feel it was harsh enough. He guessed he should've been glad that he didn't have to select his own punishment. He'd probably be nearly dead.

She came by everyday to check on him. She made him meals that he never ate while she was there. She never said a word. Not a hello nor a goodbye. She never smiled. Not one tentative smile of welcome like she did when the were younger. She was different. She wasn't the girl in the picture and yet she was. The devotion was still there but never voiced.

If a picture is worth a thousand words…

He studied her covertly. Her silence was starting to bother him until the point where he cracked and spoke first.

"Why won't you speak to me?"

"I didn't think you'd care to hear me speak."

"Don't be an idiot." He snapped. He knew immediately that was the wrong thing to say because the ire raised in her eyes.

"Come to think of it. I think I don't care to hear you speak." She said leaving him to himself.

If a picture is worth a thousand words…

She stopped coming by after that particular "conversation". He found that he missed her. He pulled out the picture once more from where he had it hidden. He hadn't looked at since he had returned home. Why would he when he had the actual thing coming to his home everyday? He stared at the picture absently letting his finger trail over her face.

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke looked up surprised that he hadn't noticed her enter.

He turned his hand over hiding the picture in the palm of his hand like a guilty child.

"Nothing."

Sakura walked over to him. "Surely it's something. I've been standing here watching you look at it for a while now."

"Tch. You're annoying. Go away."

Her eyes darkened for a minute then she caught on to his tactics. He was trying to get rid of her so that she wouldn't discover what it was that he was hiding.

"Let me see it." She demanded.

"No. Go home."

"I'll leave but I'm not going home. I'll just head over to the Hokage tower and tell Tsunade that you're plotting to leave the village again."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh I would. I'm evil like that." Sakura said then let out a wicked laugh.

Sasuke tossed the photo on the table and left the room.

If a picture is worth a thousand words…

Sakura walked over to where he had placed the photo on the table an picked in up curiosity written in her features. She picked up the worn photo remembering how longingly he had stared at the picture. Sakura had never seen such an expression on his face before. She had to admit that she had once hoped she would look at her with the naked desire his eyes. Her eyes glanced down at the photo and her eyes widened to see her very own face looking back at her.

If a picture is worth a thousands words…

He was laying on his bed his hands behind his head staring at the ceiling.

She stood in the doorway with the photo clutched in her hand much like he had clutched it for years.

"Why?" She choked out. Still desperately trying to hold back her feelings hoping he would say something, anything to eliminate the love that was threatening to bloom once more. The love that she thought she had eradicated from her heart long ago.

He could tell that Sakura was desperately holding tears back but he couldn't look at her. He hated seeing her tears so fixated his gaze on a spot on the ceiling. He didn't really see a need to hide the truth any longer so he opened his mouth and spoke the words that would change their relationship forever.

"Because,

If a picture is worth a thousand words you're the beautifulest picture I've ever heard."

A/N: I am aware the beautifulest is not a word. The above quote is not mine.