Yes, I know it's been a while. But I'm back and thank you for your patience. This chapter is a MAJOR transition, so I'm sorry if it seems a bit disjointed. I needed to cover a lot in order to switch gears. Thank you guys so much for your reviews. And while this chapter is nowhere near the intensity level of the previous chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

I don't own Naruto.

Enjoy!

I missed you guys XD

Defense Mechanism

Chapter Eight

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." -Carl Bard

You don't sleep well that night; your mind is filled with too many thoughts to allow for sleep. One of your hands it still underneath the covers intertwined with Naruto, who is snoring softly a few feet from your right ear. Your eyes haven't left the starry night sky in many hours, the blanket of night still a comfort to you as it has been since the night Sasuke killed your parents. There is just something about it: the repetition of it all, you suppose. Day, night, stars, moon, sun... and the process repeats. You like the familiarity.

But that's not the only reason why the night eases you.

Perhaps it's because you know every person you've ever lost is watching over you. You've always viewed the brilliant stars as billions of people who have been lost from this world over time, and you distinctly remember the night your world was taken from you.

You remember the way Naruto's hair looked when you opened the door, his blonde hair soaked from the torrential rain. You remember the way he smelled of rain, soil and his signature cologne. You remember his hesitation as his head refused to raise until you called his name softly. You remember the red rim around his still tear bright eyes and the way your stomach plummeted when you watched his lip tremble. I'm so sorry, Sakura, he whispered. And then you were hugging him, screaming for your parents over and over until you could no longer speak you were crying so hard. You remember asking how they died and the look in his eye that you didn't understand at the time, but now fully comprehend. Naruto knew who it had been when he and Kakashi found their bodies but it would be a long time until he told you his suspicions. You remember pulling back from Naruto's body and your eyes immediately going to his lips suddenly wondering what they would taste like. You knew it was a bad idea at the time but you were so numb that all you could do was surrender to your body's demands. And then you were kissing him fiercely, pushing him back on the couch and crawling up into his lap. His hands were sliding over you legs, at your waist, running up your back and one of them twisted in your hair. Sakura, he had moaned, and you remember shivering.

And then he pushed you away and you can still remember how hot your face burned when you felt his arousal hit the inside of your thigh as he squirmed. He had stopped you that night, but the night after your parent's funeral he would continue until all that was between his skin and yours was your heart and the ghostly memory of a black haired boy who you could never seem to erase from your mind.

He had been your first that night and you were not at all regretful the next morning. In the back of your mind you had always known that Naruto was the only other person you trusted enough with your body and something that meant more to you than just casual sex. He had stayed that night and you awoke to him running his thumb across your chin. You remember opening your eyes and the thought of how gorgeous he was hit you full force as you watched the sunlight hit his tanned skin, brilliant blue eyes and that smile you would never be able to forget. He didn't lean over to kiss you though, and you were grateful. Naruto knew what the previous night meant because he knew that you would never be able to look at him without thinking about Sasuke. Good morning, beautiful, he had said as he stood up, dressed himself and slowly moved towards the door. No offers to make you breakfast, no promises of calling or scheduling your next meeting. He just walked to the door, hesitated momentarily, opened it and walked out.

Your eyes finally leave the night sky and travel over to Naruto's face. He is still sleeping and luckily unaware of your thoughts. There is a part of you, however, that would have liked it if he were awake.

You would have liked to thank him...

Your eyes begin to burn in tiredness and you allow yourself to close them after one last glance at Naruto. Squeezing his hand lightly, you close your eyes and notice that your body is suddenly heavy with exhaustion.

In the back of you mind however, you know that a lack of sleep is only a small part of why you are so fatigued.

Something is off the next morning when you wake up, and it takes you a few minutes to realize why you feel so awful. Blinking in the morning sun, you raise your head slightly and it's then that you realize the spot next to you is empty.

There is disappointment in your gut, but you promptly ignore it. It's not like you actually expected to wake up next to Sasuke; why would you want to anyway?

Pushing yourself into a sitting position, you run your hand through your hair in an attempt to smooth it out. You know that you lost your temper last night—lost it like you never have before—and that scares you. You know that conversation was a long time coming, and you wouldn't take back anything you said because it was the truth, but your lack of control over your emotions is disconcerting. You normally have such control...except, it seems, when it comes to him.

And there's a rueful smile on your face because again, there's always an exception when it comes to Sasuke.

Sighing, you try to put last night out of your thoughts. It'll come up again, you're sure of it, and you'll (both) deal with it when the time comes.

"You look like death, teme," you hear from just behind the line of trees to your right.

Sasuke mumbles something.

"Yeah, no shit." Naruto laughs a bit. "I can't believe you even slept at all with how tense you were. I don't think I've ever seen anyone in my life with reflexes like yours while asleep." Pause. "Christ, teme," Naruto sounds astonished and humored at the same time, "you were acting like I was trying to kill her or something."

No mumble this time.

"Don't worry. I won't tell her how—ow! Stop!"

With Naruto's laughter ringing in your ears, you wonder why there is a fluttering sensation in your stomach.

What were they talking about?

But Naruto's laughter stops when Sasuke begins to cough.

"Damn. She did a number on you didn't she?"

Silence.

"Remind me to thank her."

They notice a few minutes later that you are awake. You were content with just lying there staring at the blue sky, but when you hear them make their way back to camp, you reluctantly get up and begin to get dressed.

You do a very thorough job of trying to avoid Sasuke's gaze though, not being able to keep last night's fight out of your head. You said what you needed to say, but what bothers you is that he didn't. As usual, he says nothing but the bare minimum, and it is in this moment that you understand why Naruto made Sasuke promise you the truth.

(Because not knowing is starting to eat away at you. You have so many questions to ask and as always, it seems like there is no time)

Though why you feel like there's no time is still a mystery. What's the rush? It's not as though he is going anywhere and neither are you, but you can't stop the incessant nagging in the back of your mind that keeps telling you to ask him.

("You never know how much time you have left," Tsunade said to you once. You watched her slightly pained expression with a far off look in her eyes…and you understood exactly what she meant because of that day—the day you watched Sasuke walk out of Konoha and realized nothing would ever be the same again)

You are shinobi—the three of you could die on the mission today for God's sake, and you'll be damned if you don't get some answers out of the stoic Uchiha soon.

But…how? How do you do it? You're still hurt, still so fucking angry that it will be hard to say anything to him without blowing up. You sigh, brushing a few strands of hair out of your face and accept that no matter what you do, no matter how many years pass, Sasuke seems to remain the only one who can make you so emotional.

And right now, you hate him for it.

(Though, you don't deny that there might come a time when you love the way he can make you feel)

"You did a bad job of healing your injuries," you say, watching Sasuke wince slightly in pain as he picks up his pack.

"I did what I could," he replies without looking at you.

You fold your arms in front of you, damning his pride.

(And maybe yours too)

His face looks relatively normal save for slight bruising on his chin, and he seems to be favoring his left arm. Evidently, he managed to heal the surface injuries pretty well. "Did you copy medical ninjutsu?"

He looks up at you, watching you for a moment before responding. "Enough to get by."

That was an odd response, you think. All three of you know exactly who he copied techniques from, so why didn't he just say it was Kabuto? "You didn't heal your ribs correctly. Come here."

He walks over limping slightly, and a sliver of panic and thrill runs through you when you realize you need him to take off his shirt. But why are you panicking? It's not as if you've never seen a male body before.

(You know damn well why you're panicking. Because everyday reminds you of what is possible, and you know that just one look from Sasuke will be all it takes…and you will fall again)

"I need you to take off your shirt," you say monotonously, staring at tree beyond him not meeting his eyes.

He looks at you for a moment as if trying to read your thoughts, but you keep your expression composed. Naruto's stifled laughter can be heard in the background and you restrain yourself from punching him.

Sasuke's hands grab the neckline of his shirt and in one quick movement, pulls it over his head. You promptly ignore the smoothness of his skin and the definition of his muscles, hoping he doesn't notice you swallowing.

Keeping your mind focused at the task at hand, you bring your hands together in a few seals and press them to his side, the way his muscles flex when your hands meet his skin is certainly not helping matters.

The way he is looking at you is not helping matters, either.

Why is he studying you so closely?

"That's as good as I can do right now," you say sometime later. "You're going to have to deal with the rest of the pain."

You miss him smirk slightly, knowing you are still reacting to what happened last night.

"I'll manage," he says quietly (and you could swear he sounds a tiny bit seductive) and your eyes fly up to meet his. Truth be told you don't really know how to respond to that, so you settle for looking surprised.

And he looks...smug.

Naruto chooses that moment to interrupt, wisely choosing not to comment on the current situation.

"Let's go."

"Don't speak to anyone," are the first words anyone has uttered in over six hours. Sasuke speaks only once the Oto gates come into view, and you momentarily wonder if he warns you in order to keep the two of you safe. Because why else would he mention it?

The slight spark of hope in your gut is ridiculous. You're grossly overreacting to such a small, dumb comment.

(stop lying and look deeper)

Your eyes travel over to Naruto who glances at you briefly with a strange look in his eye.

"Hey teme, let's take a break before we go in, okay?" Except from the finality in Naruto's tone, all three of you know he isn't asking for permission.

So all Sasuke can do is nod.

Naruto looks at you again and grins, softly taking your arm and leading you away from Sasuke deeper into the forest. When he is satisfied at the distance between the two of you and Sasuke, Naruto pauses, glances up at the sky for a moment and when he looks back at you, you can see a familiar look in his eye.

One you have never, nor will you ever forget.

"Are you ready, Sakura-chan?" You know he added the 'chan' to put you at ease because it's apparent to you what he's really asking. He's not concerned about what will happen once you step through the gates, nor is he concerned about this mission whatsoever. He's asking you if you will be able to handle seeing firsthand what Sasuke has done in this village.

To this village.

Its people.

And to himself.

Will you be able to handle it?

"How can—how can you do that so easily?" you ask quietly, stalling to give yourself a few more minutes to think.

Naruto closes his eyes, grins and raises his head upwards so tiny beams of sunlight hit the slightly golden tan of his skin.

"You should have seen the look in your eyes last night as you were fighting him." Naruto's voice has taken on a curious tone. It's not his usual boisterous, cheery tone, its rather one that is calm; a calmness that can only come from one who has accepted a grave situation.

Naruto's eyes open and he looks at you, that look back in his eyes.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone look so hurt, betrayed and desperate at the same time."

"Naruto—"

He takes a step forward and his tone becomes more filled with emotion. "I remember feeling that same way for...a very long time." He sighs and steps so close in front of you that if you leaned forward a couple of inches, your nose would touch his chest.

"When I saw you laying on that bench and my faith in him cracked. How could he do that to you? How could he just leave? Without saying goodbye?" There is a more pronounced waver in his voice now, and you begin to feel a familiar stinging sensation in your eyes.

"I remember sitting on my bed staring at that picture of the three of us, and I made a vow when my eyes landed on your smile. I would get him back for you because there was nothing that I wouldn't do for you, Sakura-chan. Nothing."

Your hand lands on his arm, though you don't know if you're trying to comfort yourself or him.

"And then I realized that I was hurt for you. All those years I was pissed at the village was selfish of me...but that was the first time I felt pain for someone else, not myself.

"It was oddly relieving, in a sense. But I never fully understood what it was like for you until last night as I watched your eyes. I've been searching for an answer to this...fucked up situation. And I didn't know the answer til last night. You. It's you and it always has been. You're the only one who can get through to him. And you might not believe that, but I'm telling you that I saw it last night. I see the way he looks at you and it's kind of a mix between sorrow and... hope, oddly enough." The last two words are whispered as he looks up at the sky once more.

"I—don't know how," you breathe, inhaling shakily.

"You're the best one out of the three of us, that's how," he smiles softly. "Your ability to forgive and your unwavering loyalty will be what he will eventually latch on to. And... it might be unfair to you to have such a burden, but... just know that I would take it from you if I could. The best I can do is complete my part."

"Your part?"

He smiles again. "Yeah, I'm the one who has to kick his ass to keep him in line every now and then..."

He looks at you intensely and you immediately recognize where you've seen that expression before: it's the look he gets when he sets his mind to something and won't give up until it's complete.

It's the look he gets when decides that Sasuke is worth it and Naruto will go to any length to save his brother.

"But I will tell you one thing," his face gravely serious. "It's not your job save him from drowning and lose yourself in the process, Sakura. All you can do is reach out your hand. It's his choice whether or not he grabs on."

He smiles and rubs your arm before turning around and walking back to Sasuke. You stare unseeingly at Naruto's back wondering how he came up with that conclusion himself.

Maybe it was all those long years of hoping when no one else would.

"Wow, teme, they… they really respect you." Naruto's voice is incredulous, and you know that your face looks shocked as well. Everywhere you turn, the villagers are bowing as if Sasuke is some sort of royalty, and yet Sasuke is walking past them like they mean absolutely nothing.

And it makes you angry.

(What a surprise…)

"Hn."

And suddenly, it hits you that you are always angry when you are around him. Why? Why does everything make you upset? Why can't you let it go?

You are loath to admit it, but there is a part of you that will always look up to him. A part of you that will never stop seeing the potential—the talent he has to…

Change. Change everything. There is so much that he could do in this world, and you finally realize why you're so furious all the time.

It's because you're disappointed. This feeling—like you want to cry and scream and hurt him and beg him to come back all at the same time—it's because you're disappointed in what's he's done in his life. Everything he had, everything he could have had, he's thrown away.

But that's not the only reason, is it?

Because it's not only about the path he chose on his quest for power. You understand his need to kill Itachi, really you do. It's more than that…

It's…this. This perfect example right here. It's his attitude towards others, his lack of respect. His lack of understanding of what he's done to you, his lack of caring that he's broken your hearts. He doesn't feel anything for anyone and it makes you angry—no, that's the wrong word—it makes you jealous that he can simply feel indifferent about everything around him and not feel the hurt and pain and betrayal that you feel.

(But is that true? Do you think he is a stranger to pain?)

Of course not and maybe it's unfair to judge him this way but if he knows pain, why isn't he more understanding?

And it's right then that you realize… there has to be a reason. He must know your pain, he must understand, but then why does he do nothing about it? Nothing to correct his past mistakes?

It's such…such a waste.

You don't realize that a tear escaped until you taste something bitter on your lip. Brushing it away angrily, your eyes are trained on his back, staring at the Uchiha crest sitting proudly below the neckline of one of his old shirts.

...And as though a bag of bricks hits you at that very moment, you come to understand why this is affecting you so.

(You're in love with him)

You keep your eyes trained on your feet, not sure whether or not you are ready to see the depression of the residents in their run-down houses. You can hear the children around you, every time they laugh their parents tell them to "shh!". Why, you wonder. Did Orochimaru not allow for the simple pleasure of laughing? Again, the possibilities that Sasuke could change all this flashes through your mind, but you know he will not see the point in doing such a thing.

But then you remember Naruto's words. Was it possible that he was right?

(Is Naruto ever wrong?)

Laughing quietly to yourself, you know he was right. It's your job to save him. Did that mean that by saving Sasuke, you could save these people, too? Could you somehow persuade Sasuke to help these people? Was it... was it possible that Sasuke himself would become—?

"This is where you will sleep," he says firmly, not leaving any room for argument.

You walk into the bedroom and you are pleasantly surprised. It is larger than you expected, the bed against the right wall giving a good amount of space in the center of the room. There was an oversized window on the western wall and you are pleasantly surprised that wherever you are, you are not underground. Walking over to the window, you pull the sheer back and to your surprise you have a lovely view of the entire city.

"Where are we?" You ask quietly, not expecting anyone to be there and it is then that you realize Sasuke is still in the doorway. Turning around, you see that Sasuke has been watching you this whole time, but what surprises you more is that there is a peculiar expression on his face. He looks…content.

(Why? What about this situation could possible make him content?

And since when does Sasuke even know what content is?)

"We are in the fortress Orochimaru was building before I killed him." That sentence stirs something in your stomach but you ignore it.

"Thanks, Sasuke, this is great."

He nods, but still doesn't move.

(Neither do you)

"My room is right next door," he says suddenly.

You hesitate slightly. "…Okay. I'll—let you know if I need anything."

Seeming to suddenly realize he is awkwardly standing in your doorway, Sasuke turns to leave.

"Do you want to see the hospital?" He asks, his voice softer than you've heard it in a long time.

You smile the first sincere smile since you've left.

"Yeah," you breathe. "Absolutely."

"Sasuke—this is not a hospital. This is—I don't know what this is."

"This is what there is."

"Do you have any properly trained medic-nin?"

Sasuke shrugs, making you more angry for some reason. Doesn't he care about these people's well-being?

"I don't know." His eyes are trained on the building: a dark, run-down looking place, no bigger than a two-bedroom house. With moldy dark brown wooden paneling, it was two floors of cracked windows and a crooked roof. It was unfit, obviously, to be considered a hospital big enough for an entire village.

But then again, you think, it shouldn't surprise you that Orochimaru didn't care about his people.

"We are going to have to build it somewhere else. We'll have to start from scratch."

"Hn."

"But first, I am going to have to train the doctors. Does Oto have an—er—academy? Is there a school for the children?"

"Yes."

"Good. We'll that will be my worst-case scenario. Doctors obviously have to be older…" You're silent for a moment, absorbing just how large of a task this really is. Looking at the rundown building in front of you, you realize that building this hospital will not only help people, but it will also give them an emotion they may no longer remember.

Hope.

You remember when you had that feeling a few years back. Seeing Naruto's heart, his capabilities, Sasuke's strengths, Kakashi's willingness to protect you all although he had known you for a few short weeks. You had hope back then, hope that you would spend your lives together fighting the evil and protecting the weak, hope that Team 7 would remain together forever.

Hope that Sasuke would love you the way you loved him.

Your eyes focus back onto the hospital, a fire growing in your chest because of the desire to give these people hope for a new beginning and a bright future. When was the last time they had such a feeling? When was the last time they left their houses unafraid of persecution or being killed on one of Orochimaru's whims?

When had they last hoped?

(When had you?)

"This is a big job, Sasuke."

He was silent for a long time, and you guess that he is thinking over his response.

"I know. But I will complete it."

You smile and let your gaze run over his face.

He looks at you quickly, his brow slightly furrowed. He's looking for a reaction, now, you can clearly see. But what reaction he is looking for is still unclear.

It seems, you think with a smile, that he cannot read you as easily as before.

"Excuse me, Sasuke-sama." A new voice interrupts your musings and you and Sasuke turn to see an attractive man wearing medic-nin robes standing before you. He is a few inches taller than Sasuke with brown hair that sticks up in different directions—something you find oddly attractive. His green eyes are warm and friendly, and though his is not the most built shinobi you've ever come across, from what you can see, his muscles are hard and defined.

But there is something else about him that you find yourself immediately connected with—he is smiling slightly, out of politeness you assume, and you can immediately tell that Sasuke and this man do not like each other. What their history is, you do not know, but you are more than willing to find out.

"I thought you were dead," the man says, feigning surprise and you find yourself pursing you lips to keep from laughing.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. "Evidently not, seeing as I am standing here wasting my time speaking to you."

You don't know if you've ever heard Sasuke mutter such a long sentence, but in that moment, you know you have to find out just what happened between the two.

The man chuckles, then turns to you. "Iiushi Kazuki. It's a pleasure."

You extend your hand, ignoring the way Sasuke is glaring at the man like nothing you've ever seen before.

But if Sasuke hates this man, you are going to make him loathe this 'Iiushi Kazuki' before the end.

(Why?)

"Haruno Sakura," you say with a slight blush, grasping his hand and shaking it firmly.

(Because jealousy is the only way you can get back at him)

"I've never seen you before and I'm certain you're not someone easily missed." His smirk almost makes you weak at the knees, and his playful forwardness is a quality you thoroughly enjoy.

"I'm a medic-nin from Konoha," you say smiling, acting as though Sasuke is not standing three feet away from you, his chakra beginning to swirl angrily. "I'm here to—er—"

(Make Sasuke see that the world doesn't revolve around him and make him realize what he's lost in the process)

"—help restart this hospital."

"Ah. Then I guess we will be seeing a lot more of each other, ne?"

The stress he puts on those words makes the blush come back full force and before you can answer, Sasuke has your wrist in his hand and is pulling you down the road in the direction of the compound.

You turn to say goodbye, and Kazuki is smiling and shaking his head.

"Sasuke!" you say when you turn around. "Let go of me! Why are you being so rude?"

"Don't get involved with him Sakura," he says without turning to look at you. "I've seen what he does to girls and you wouldn't like it."

You rip your arm out of his grasp. "I've lived almost six years without you and made mistakes in the past with men and guess what? Uchiha Sasuke didn't come to my rescue then and I certainly don't need your help now."

Sasuke watches you for a moment, and looks as though he wants to say something before shrugging and turning around.

"Do whatever you want."

As he walks away, it dawns on you that the hope you had when you were twelve has gone nowhere.

You (still) hope Sasuke will love you one day.

Your soft knocks reverberate in the silence of the air. A muffled come in comes from Sasuke's room, and you push open the door trying to keep your heart rate from racing at an audible rate. Your eyes immediately meet the black ones that are shining slighty from the reflection of the moon. You stop in the doorway, just staring for a moment, and it would be later when you realize that he was staring at you too. Both of you are waiting for the other to speak first, but the two of you also know who will be the first one to crack.

You open your mouth to speak when suddenly Sasuke's gaze drops to your neck. The trinket is hidden beneath your clothes, but you know he can still see the thin black cord strung around your neck. His eyes stay there for a few seconds longer than appropriate, and it's then that you realize he knows what is on the end of that cord. Ignoring the urge to touch it, you clear your throat.

"I wanted to—er—talk to you about my behavior last night."

Sasuke puts down the book you didn't notice he was reading, and gives you his attention.

(A book—something so simple, so normal that it makes your heart twinge painfully to wonder how long it has been since he's allowed himself a normal indulgence. You wonder when he last had a normal conversation, a hug, watched someone laugh, noticed a smile...

heard the words I love you)

"I—"

"I don't want to hear it."

(and that thought stabs you. You often find yourself damning Itachi to the deepest circle of hell... but then you remember something so simple, so cliché, but it's also something you believe with every fiber of your being:

everything happens for a reason)

"I'm—what?" You awkwardly stop talking, and your eyes narrow slightly. "You don't want to hear what I have to say?"

"No," he responds easily.

(stupid thing to repeat to yourself over and over again—because the normal rules don't apply to shinobi—but you still believe it no matter how many people scoff at your perhaps naive beliefs.

because you needed something to hold on to—some kind of rope to keep yourself from going under all those years. And you learned long ago that you can't rely on anyone but yourself

least of all, Sasuke)

Ignoring the sudden urge to jump on top of him and smother him with his pillow, you stand there for a few more seconds, scoff and turn to walk away.

"Just for the record," you say with a hint of venom, "I wasn't going to apologize."

"You need to stop doing this, Sakura," he says quietly (and almost sounds defeated) and your head almost snaps clean off your neck as you twist around quickly.

He looks up from his book, and for the first time in your entire life you can read every emotion on his face.

(he's allowing it...because he wants you to know something)

You don't need to ask.

"Fixing...whatever it is you think needs to be fixed isn't your job. I can't be mended, I can't be "fixed" so don't waste your time trying."

Your eyes widen and your mouth falls open slightly, your mind running over possible answers.

"I—" (cant) "—don't believe that's true. You can be saved, Sasuke. It will take time, but I believe your heart can be mended."

Sasuke's expression goes blank, but you can still see a flash of appreciation followed by something that looks dangerously close to regret.

He looks down to his lap. "That doesn't mean it's your job, Sakura."

Your eyes begin to burn at his defeat and sadness, but your voice is strong.

"Look around you, Sasuke," you gesture with your arms to the empty air around the room. "Who else is going to do it?"

"You can't change what happened nor what I did. And neither can I."

"...and?"

"There's no changing the past, Sakura. What's done is done."

Funny, you think, that he almost sounds like he's trying to convince himself.

You smile wryly. "That was always been your problem, Sasuke." He looks up at you, his brow slightly furrowed.

You sigh deeply. "It's not about the past... It's not about what you did because we both know you wouldn't change a thing." You look at him dead in the eye, your voice even and strong. "It's about the future Sasuke, about what you will do, the choices you will make. It's about the future and who you choose to be, now that that part of your life is over. Don't you see? We've accepted what you've done and we understand nothing can change that, but we're not only trying to save you, we're trying to save your future! What kind of life will you have now that—"

"You haven't."

"—what?"

Sasuke blinks. "You haven't accepted what happened. You're still angry."

"I'm angry with you, not what you did."

Sasuke raises a brow. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You never apologized...for anything!"

Sasuke's eyes darken. "I was never the hero, Sakura. I don't know why you expected me to be."

(You're not as angry as you thought you'd be at that statement...maybe because you're starting to understand your feelings. You're still angry with him, but at this moment it's not anger, it's pity)

"Don't give me that, Sasuke," you say softly and turn around. "No one ever expected you to be the 'hero'. At least I didn't. Don't expect me to feel guilty for holding you to a certain standard. I won't apologize for expecting you to not be a monster.

"…What I am sorry for, though, is developing an unrealistic view of you in the first place. I am sorry for falling for your act. The joke is on me, it seems."

"What 'unrealistic view' are you talking about? The fact that you thought I was a good person?"

"No," you respond, your voice barely above a whisper. "The fact that I thought you loved us. The fact that I believed your lies and thought we were really friends. The fact that I believed we meant more to you than roadblocks on your quest for power. Silly me."

You watch his mouth open to retort, and his expression is angry, but he clamps his mouth shut and his expression softens. Then he blinks and looks down.

What the hell was that?

You slam the door anyway.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on the progress," Sasuke responds while walking up behind you, his eyes darting around watching the workers walk around carrying various amounts and sizes of wood, hammers, nails, ladders and buckets.

You cross your arms. "Well thanks for the check-up, but I'm overseeing everything just fine—"

"Haruno-san," a voice calls from behind you.

You watch as Sasuke's eyes dart over your shoulder, and for a moment, it looks as though he is angry.

And although you think you are imagining it, the angry flare of his chakra tells you that for some reason, Sasuke is less than pleased.

"Ah. Kazuki-san," you say with a grin as you see him walking towards you wearing a green tight fitting shirt and black pants. "Can I help you with something?"

As the young medic approaches you, you can see his steps falter slightly when he detects Sasuke's angry chakra.

Why is he so angry?

(Maybe because Kazuki interrupted your conversation…yes that's why. Because the other possibility would only spell disaster.

Besides, Sasuke probably hasn't felt the emotion called jealousy in about fifteen years)

"Yes, you can actually," he says, stopping a few feet in front of you, smiling that smile of his that makes your heart beat slightly faster.

"Sasuke-sama," he mutters, bowing his head politely before turning back to you.

"I need help with my bone fusion. I can't seem to match the marrow up correctly."

"Ah," you say sympathetically, "that's an extremely difficult procedure. Just give me a moment and we'll practice on me."

Kazuki's green eyes widened. "Practice on you? Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course," you say, ignoring Sasuke's gaze burning holes into the side of your head.

There is an awkward pause and you shift slightly under Sasuke's scrutiny.

"Excuse us please, Kazuki-san."

He nods and you watch his untidy brown hair as he walks past you.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asks, his tone hard and cold as steel.

You cock your head slightly, your cheeks slightly reddening at your inner thoughts.

"What do you mean? I'm going to teach him how to—"

"I don't like the way he looks at you."

You scoff slightly, not really knowing what to make out of his statement.

"You don't need to like it. Excuse me." And you walk away because in all honesty, you don't want to know what that statement meant.

(Because for the love of God, everything would suddenly make sense if that means what you think it means. Everything would fit into place—the look his gave you when he got back, the jealousy, the anger...

God damn it, he is getting attached to you)

"Sakura," he calls firmly as you begin to walk away from Sasuke.

(But isn't that what you want?)

You pause and your eyes meet Kazuki's, who is standing out of hearing range smirking slightly. You break eye contact and look over to see Sasuke gazing at you over his shoulder.

(Then why are you so scared?)

"If I ever find out he touched you, I will kill him myself."

And he disappears.

(Because if he is attached to you…that means that you will have to make yourself vulnerable one more time. You will have to give your whole heart, your whole self to a man who has yet to earn that right.

And that prospect scares you to death)

"Alright, Kazuki-san, follow me."

OOOOO

And so the love triangle begins! I was wondering to myself why I always write SasuSaku when they're not even my favorite pairing...and I think it's because Sasuke is just so emotional. He tries so hard to pretend he's not, but he's probably the most emotional male in Naruto with the exception of Mr. Uzumaki himself.

I just love writing him…

Anyway, if you enjoyed this, please leave me a review.

Until next time! (which won't be a year this time)