A/N: So, here's my first attempt at a SasuSaku fic. Yes, it's AU. Yes, the chapters will be pretty short. Yes, it will probably be confusing at times. It's all intentional, i swear. And any OOCness, well, it might happen. Hopefully not too much though.

Disclaimer: Yup, all the characters are in my basement, since Naruto is so totally mine...coughcough. Yeah, I'm a liar.

Summary: Those who go through the doors never come back. He warned her, but she didn't care. She wanted adventure, excitement, an escape. She got it all.

In Too Deep
1. Goodbye

"Don't go through the door, Sakura," he warned sharply, training his obsidian eyes on the back of her head fiercely so that she would feel his warning as well as hear it. Her head tipped, pastel hair barely touching her right shoulder.

"But why not, Sasuke?" she asked, voice sincere and interested. "It looks so…exciting!"

"Sakura-"

She spun around on her toes, now facing him with her hands clasped behind her back like a schoolgirl, a marvelous grin on her bittersweet pink lips. "Just look, Sasuke. Come here and look."

She stretched out an arm, and he grabbed her hand with a sigh, immediately causing her jade eyes to spark with pleasure. He allowed himself to be pulled forward, and when he was standing next to her in front of the door, she dropped his hand.

"Just look," she ordered again and she stared into the dark. Up, down, side to side. All dark. "Doesn't it make you just want to jump in? It would probably take you far far away; somewhere better than this."

"Don't do it. You've heard the stories: those who go through the doors never come back."

Sakura giggled cheerfully, and her voice echoed in the empty space before them. "Oh, Sasuke, don't tell me you really believe those stories! There's no proof that they're true. They're just meant to scare little children at sleepovers."

Slowly, she reached towards the entrance, pink-tipped fingers nearing the nothingness, if that's what it even was.

"Stop!" Sasuke gasped suddenly and grabbed her wrist, jerking her around to face him. His grip tightened as he spoke. "Don't be a fool, Sakura. You know that this is a bad idea. Who knows what will happen if you go in there."

Sakura's surprised expression melted back into one of amusement and she raised her free hand to Sasuke's face, resting it against his cheek gently. His narrowed eyes immediately widened, and Sakura grinned.

"Are you worried about me, Sasuke? How sweet of you."

Sasuke dropped her wrist and crossed his arms with a dark scowl, turning his face away from hers. "Hn." Sakura didn't miss the faintest dust of pink splotching his pale cheeks.

"Too cute," she whispered, giggling when Sasuke's jaw twitched irritably.

"Don't act like this is a game or a joke!" he suddenly exploded, shaking her hand off of his face. All signs of embarrassment were erased, instead replaced with bitter rage and frustration. His fine eyebrows were angled dangerously.

Sakura pursed her lips and stood on her tip-toes to make up for the height difference. "It is a game and a joke," she huffed, her eyes glinting in what was no longer enjoyment. For a hushed moment they stared at each other, fighting with their fiery gazes, both unrelenting. Only the echo from beyond the door could be heard, though barely.

Joke

Joke

joke

joke

Sasuke made a growling noise deep in his throat. "No it's not."

"Yes, it is," Sakura shot back, taking a sidelong glance into the door, longing and desire painted in her eyes.

"Sakura, stop it. Stop looking," Sasuke commanded and shook her shoulders forcefully, lolling her head back and forth, sending pink flying. "You aren't going, it's too dangerous."

"Stop trying to sound like my mother," Sakura spat bitterly, still not looking at him. "I have nothing here, so I have nothing to lose, right?"

Sasuke mumbled something under his breath, and Sakura snapped her head around to focus on his face.

"What did you say?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed and voice low.

"Nothing," he answered stubbornly. His obsidian eyes were piercing through her jade ones, and she knew that she had to make her decision soon, before he made it for her.

"Well," she began in a forcefully calm voice. "Whatever you said, it doesn't make a difference." She raised her eyebrows when he flinched slightly, but continued on. "You can't change my mind, and you can't stop me."

"Sakura-"

"Sorry, Sasuke, but I've made my decision." She backed away, watching as his arms fell limp to his side. "Sixteen years of this…this life has been enough. I want to start over, all over and make my own choices. I want to live."

Sasuke opened his mouth and closed it, seemingly struggling for the right words. Finally, he asked, "How do you know this will let you live? How do you know that this will do anything good?"

Sakura shrugged unconcernedly. "I don't," she said simply, "but I might as well try and see what happens. Didn't you once tell me yourself? What's the point of living if you don't try new things, take risks? I'm just following your advice, Sasuke."

"This is a stretch," he scoffed coldly.

"But you're not stopping me," she pointed out matter-of-factly, taking another step backwards, all the while feeling the anticipation, and fear, bubble up in her stomach.

At this Sasuke smirked and shook his head, raven hair dancing about his eyes. "I've learned long ago that that's impossible."

"…I'm glad," Sakura said sincerely. Her eyes closed as she tilted her head in a smile. "I'm glad that you took the time to know me."

And then she couldn't move, and her face was pressed into something warm and solid, and she smelled something wonderful and felt herself being held in place strongly. "Sasuke…"

"You're making a mistake."

"Why are you hugging me?" she asked, ignoring his statement.

"Hn. I don't hug people," Sasuke said into her hair, and Sakura sighed heavily.

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm just…"

Sakura sighed again, this time pulling herself away. "It's time for me to go."

"I'll come with you," Sasuke announced hastily, but Sakura shook her head.

"You have too much in store for you here to give it up," she said sadly, her heels now only a few centimeters away from the empty void behind her. "It's okay, I'll be okay on my own," she reassured him. "I'm strong."

Her right leg vanished; instead of passing through the door it seemed to be swallowed up by the blackness, completely painted over. Sasuke watched in surprise as her shoulders slowly sunk into the nothingness, followed by the rest of her body until only her face and her toes were left to be seen.

Sakura smiled.

"It feels warm…and calm. I think this is going to turn out to be a good decision. Goodbye, Sasuke. And thank you."

And she was gone, but Sasuke was left with the image of her smiling face imprinted into his memory. He was certain that she could not come back, and that she would not come back. He clenched his hands into angry fists and glared at the darkness that had seconds before swallowed her up.

"You fool," he grumbled, and then closed his eyes and stepped through the door after her.

A/N: So, the rest of the chaps will probably be a tad longer than this, but not much. I'm hoping that the shorter chaps will make me update quicker, though this probably won't be the case. Anyway...review anyone?

And omg, who else is completely loving the latest manga chaps?! They're pretty much the best things ever.