Okay, it's my first story. I've said before in my one shots and profile that I'm not too good at writing on-going stories like this one, but I LOVED this idea and had to at least try it. Plus I get discouraged easily. Not many reviews, and I probably won't update too often.

Anyway, if you like it or not, please tell me in a review! I love me some constructive criticism! )

But I'll give it my best shot. C:


"Alright, team." Kakashi started. "We have them in danger and on the run. After a few hours of rest we'll take them on again. Naruto, you should get some rest now; you need it the most." Naruto reluctantly nodded, urging to finish the mission then, instead of rest up and wait. "Sakura, could you take the first watch?" He asked. Sakura hugged her legs, and nodded with a look of determination in her eyes. Kakashi nodded back, then laid down and closed his eyes.

Sakura watched her teammate and Sensei fall asleep within the first thirty minutes of her watch. Every now and then, she'd hear an animal coming near, or a coyote howl or an animal fight, but other than that she was alone. She looked back at her teammates again as a soft smile crept onto her lips. Just her, Naruto and Kakashi now. And that was fine with her. No more Sasuke.

She had given up on Sasuke. All he ever cared about was killing Itachi. But while trying to avenge his family the truth of the matter is every day he became more and more like Itachi…and it seemed he didn't even care anymore about becoming everything he hates.

'I hope he dies.' She thought, squeezing her legs up tighter to her chest. 'He's an animal. He doesn't deserve any more chances. If he ever tries to come back to Konoha I'll ki--' A loud brush came out of a tree near by. Sakura leaped up and forced her anger at Sasuke into her kunai as she threw it. 'BASTARD!' There was a small squeak, then something fell out of the tree with a soft thump as it hit the ground.

Sakura loosened up and calmed down, then ran over to where the object fell. It was a small owl. Sakura closed her eyes, ashamed she killed an innocent owl. She took her kunai out of it and rolled it under a small bush next to the tree.

'Don't think about him, Sakura. Every time you do something bad happens.' She sat back down near the campfire and watched her teammates sleep. She smiled. 'See? You're fine. He's not worth your time. Focus on the people who love you: Naruto and Kakashi.'

Her smile got bigger and her eyes were half-lidded in satisfaction. That was the truth: she was only genuinely happy when she was with Naruto and Kakashi…they were like her second family.

She laid down and huddled up with the smile still on her face.

"He's not worth it…" She whispered, closing her eyes.

"Who's not worth it?"

Sakura's eyes shot open. She turned around. Sasuke was sitting on the tree branch where the owl once sat. She stood up and pulled a kunai out.

"What do you want?!" She yelled. She looked over at her team for a short moment, with hopes that she hadn't woke them.

"You." He whispered. Sakura was stunned. She had just looked away from Sasuke for a second, and he had already made it close to her face; not even an inch away. Sakura didn't look at him. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she sunk the kunai into his stomach.

Sasuke chuckled.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" He asked, pulling out the kunai. "You can't hurt me Sakura…I love you." He said quietly as he dropped the kunai by her foot. Sakura gasped. It barely phased him with pain.

"Why are you here?" She asked, backing away from him with caution. Sasuke smiled and walked closer to her.

"Because I want you near me." He crept over and bit her ear. "Always." He whispered.

"BASTARD!"

Sasuke jumped backwards stealthily before she could punch, chakra filling her fists. He put his finger to his lips. "Shh…you don't want to wake Kakashi and Naruto, do you?"

"Why not?! They don't want you here either." She growled. "They would help me get rid of you!"

"I don't care what they want. I'm here for you not them. And this is none of their concern." He replied slyly, crossing his arms behind his back.

"We three are a unit. Anything that is my concern is their concern, too!" She told him icily.

"Are you sure?" He asked, beginning to circle her like a snake. She nodded sharply in reply, picking up the kunai that he had left near her foot. "You don't want this life. You don't even want them. You want me." He said. Sakura laughed.

"Not anymore, I don't." She told him. "Things change." She said in a husky voice as she channeled her chakra into her fists.

"If you attack, I won't fight back…I can't fight someone I love; I might hurt you." He said softly.

"You can't hurt me anymore; I won't let you!" She said, throwing her punch as his chest. It hit him. But he didn't move, he didn't gasp for air, he didn't fall backwards, he didn't get hurt. He just smiled.

"I told you; you can't hurt me because I love you."

"That makes no sense!" She threw her other first at his stomach. He still didn't move. "This makes no sense!" She said as she repeatedly punched his chest and stomach.

"I agree. It makes no sense you'd want to hurt me when I love you so much." He retorted.

"YOU HURT ME FIRST!" She screamed.

Kakashi and Naruto jumped up.

"Sakura!" Naruto ran over and grabbed her arm, shaking her concentration on Sasuke. She turned around and looked at him. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Who are you talking to?" Kakashi ran over to his two teammates.

"What does it look like I'm doing?!" She turned around to where Sasuke was standing before, but he was gone. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Sakura…it looks like you were screaming and punching air." Kakashi said. "Are you okay?" Sakura was too stunned to reply. Kakashi and Naruto looked at each other with concern for their teammate.

"Sasuke was standing right there-- I swear!" She yelled, very confused.

"Sakura," Kakashi said putting his hand on her shoulder gently, "Sasuke was never here. Sasuke's gone...for good."

"As it should be." Naruto added, crossing his arms.

"But I saw him…I know I did." She whispered.

"Maybe you just fell asleep on your watch duty and had a bad dream." Naruto suggested. Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"You go get some rest Sakura, I can take the next watch." Kakashi said. Naruto walked back over to his sleeping bag. "In two hours," Kakashi started, "We should start moving again."

Kakashi sat down by the fire where Sakura had once sat. For a few minutes, Sakura didn't move from the spot where she had attacked Sasuke, she was still stunned. She slowly made it over to her sleeping area and laid down.

'I saw him.' She thought, resting her head on her arm. 'I know I did…he said he loved me…'

"He said he loved me…" She whispered, falling asleep.


The end!…well, at least the end of the first chapter. C: I rather like it…and it was very hard to stop writing because it was so much fun to write. :)

Anyway, this takes place when they're around…hmm…like, seventeen. Yeah, I know, that doesn't go along with the manga, but this is fanfic. If this was seriously part of the series, well…I'd own Naruto rights…but I don't. / Lol. Oh well.

Soo….the more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update!