It had been nearly six years, as of this month.

Nearly six years since he left.

How such a well-loved boy could leave the only home he had ever known is still beyond me. How he could leave his only friends, his village, the girl who loved him…

Tch. I was so naïve back then. I fawned over him like he was a god. I devoted my heart and soul to him. And for what? So he could just up and leave me like I was nothing?

I told myself that it didn't matter, that it was just a phase that all teenage girls went through.

It still hurt, though. Even now, I still felt the same ripping sensation that I did when he left. It was like part of my heart was torn out of my chest and taken with him.

I sighed.

"Something wrong, Sakura-san?"

I looked up from my paperwork. "Huh?"

Shizune frowned. "You've been sighing like that all night. Are you feeling okay?" she asked as she brought her hand to my forehead.

"I'm fine, Shizune-san. Just… thinking."

"Well, your shift's almost over, so why don't you head home now?"

I blinked. So much for work keeping my mind off of Sasuke. I sighed again before I could stop myself, which made Shizune smirk. "Okay." I got up and put the patient files back together and brought them over to the filing cabinet. I took off my white lab coat and hung it up on the coat rack near the office door. It wasn't often that I could spend a good portion of my night doing just paperwork. Normally Shizune was the one that took care of everything. The only problems tonight were a couple of patients with broken bones and an elderly woman with a case of pneumonia.

I put on my jacket and waved goodbye to Shizune, who smiled and waved back, saying, "Have a good night, Sakura. Get some sleep; you look really tired lately."

"Sure, sure." I headed out the door.

Even though we only had a few patients, the work was still taxing. My chakra was running dangerously low, and I was terribly fatigued because of it. I took a deep breath and began the short walk home.

The night air was cool on my skin, and I pulled my jacket closer to my body. Clouds were covering the stars tonight, which made the whole world seem much darker than usual. I quickened my pace, thinking about the little boy with a broken femur that I had taken care of.

His name was Soushi, and he was only five. The poor boy had been playing with his friends at the playground in the afternoon when he had fallen from the monkey bars and landed the wrong way on his leg. Somehow, he managed to break his thigh bone. The kid was in so much pain that he passed out.

His father brought him in. I was at first extremely irritated that he hadn't waited for help so that medics could bring the boy in on a stretcher, but that anger was short-lived. Turns out that the father knew that he had to put a brace on the boy's leg so that the bone wouldn't harm and of the surrounding tissue more than it already had. That was one less problem that I had to deal with.

It was a bad break, with the bone partially severing the femoral artery and cutting into some muscle beyond. Once we had him in the operating room, I was able to stop the bleeding and set the bone back into place. Poor kid probably won't be going to the playground any time soon.

I sighed again, coming out of my thoughts. I looked up to find that I was close to my apartment complex. Now came the long climb up the stairs to reach the sixth floor, where my apartment was located. Most of the other tenants were fast asleep by the time I made it up to my door. It made me wonder exactly how late it was.

Fishing the key out of my jacket pocket, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, flicking on the light so I could see where I was going without tripping over anything. Once I could see, I closed the door and set my bag down, stepping out of my shoes as I did so. My apartment was spacious, with a large living area and bedroom, as well as a fully furnished kitchen and dining room. It sure pays to be the Hokage's apprentice.

I sighed again as I walked across the carpeted living room to get to my bedroom. What is it with me sighing today?

I caught myself trying to sigh again as I thought exasperatedly about my sighing issue. I squelched the urge. 'Ha!', I thought. 'Gotcha!'

I stopped in front of my bedroom door and twisted the knob, reaching out over the corner to find the light switch and simultaneously opening the door farther so I could step in. My tired fingers ghosted over the wall until I found the switch, flicking the light on and stepping in fully.

Something caught my eye in the farthest corner of my room. Something dark. And rather large. 'The hell is that?' I thought frantically before whipping my head around to find…

No way. No. Nuh-uh. Can't be. That's not…

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

His deep red eyes stared into my green ones. What the hell is he doing here? Doesn't he hate us? He left, and almost killed Naruto twice when the blond tried to bring him back.

And he could kill me if he wanted to.

Why else would he be here?

"Sakura." He said my name, and his voice was so much deeper than I remembered. And… I need to know…

"W-what are you d-doing here?" I asked, and I mentally berated myself for stuttering. If he wanted to kill me, the least I could do was talk normally, seem fearless.

His eyes didn't seem as devoid of emotion as they were the last time I saw him, back in the ruins of Orochimaru's hideout. "I came to see you," he replied, deep voice smooth and calm. He pushed himself off from the wall and dropped his crossed arms, letting them hang loosely at his sides. He started to walk towards me.

Came to see me? More like came to kill me! But why? What did I ever do to him? Was I that annoying when we were younger, when I was a stupid Genin?

To hell with being tired. I balled my hands into fists and pushed what little chakra I had left to them. If he came here to kill me, then he'll leave with a few broken bones at least.

His eyes widened infinitesimally, and he brought his hands up to face me, palms out. He was trying to calm me. "I'm not here to hurt you, Sakura, I promise. I just wanted to see how you were doing." He started stepping forward again slowly.

Wanted to see how I was doing? Say what? Why the hell would he want to see how I was doing? Since when did he care? I'm so confused…

He looked at my fists, still enveloped in my green chakra. Oh, right. Well, if he wasn't here to hurt me, then I guess…

I let the chakra dissipate. Well, he wanted me to disarm myself, so he should do the same. Who knows what he can do with those eyes of his now? I stared over his shoulder, avoiding his eyes.

He got the hint. After a second he asked, "Better?" I carefully flicked my gaze back to his eyes, finding them their natural charcoal color.

"Yes."

We stared at each other for a few minutes, just taking the other in. I noticed how he was now only a couple feet away from me, so now I had to seriously crane my neck in order to look him in the eyes. He had gotten so much taller since the last time…

He suddenly sobered and frowned, his eyes more expressive now than I had ever seen them. They were filled with such sadness, that I found it hard to just stand still and not do anything to help him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not even taking into consideration that he could just be lulling me into a false sense of security. It was wrong of me to think that, though, when he looked so genuinely sad.

He seemed reluctant to answer at first, then he seemed like he was trying to figure out what it was that was wrong.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally responded. "I'm…" he paused, thinking. "…Alone."

And he was. I had heard that his brother was finally defeated, and that Sasuke had disappeared after that. He had just left without a trace. Again.

He had no one. No family, probably no friends…well, except for us, I guess. We were still friends, right? Right?

Poor Sasuke…

I want to comfort him… but he never let me before… maybe… I could…

I reached out and wrapped my small arms around his waist, pulling him closer to me so I could at least try to ease his pain. Just to comfort him…

I felt his large hands return the gesture, one hand on the back of my head pulling my face to his chest, and the other on the small of my back pulling my body closer to his.

God, he's so tall…

I sighed inaudibly, just daydreaming about this actually meaning something. I listened to the strong, reassuring beat of his heart, just listening to the physical proof that he existed here with me in this moment…

And then he had to ruin it.

"Thank you, Sakura," he said while bringing his head down to rest it on top of mine. I flinched. He was going to hurt me like he did that last time… He's only ever said those two little words once before, and the encounter ended with me being knocked unconscious and left out in the cold on a bench. Oh, no. Not again. He's leaving again. I knew it. He's leaving, he's leaving, he's leaving me alone...

"I swear, I will never hurt you again. Never," he promised. Sasuke just promised something that had nothing to do with revenge. I was shocked.

But wait… what did this mean? For us? For me?

I looked up, hardly able to keep my hopes to myself. Here I was, acting like little Genin Sakura again…

"Sasuke-kun?" I asked, hoping against hope that he meant that he would stay…

And then he repeated my words from before, the truest words I have probably ever spoken to anyone… "I love you with all of my heart, Sakura," he said, and I watched as his mouth came closer and closer to mine…

And he kissed me. My God, Uchiha Sasuke just kissed me. I can't believe it. Please don't let me be dreaming this!

But I knew it wasn't a dream. I knew that Sasuke was here for real, giving me my first kiss and promising something that I could never hope for: he loved me too.

~***~***~***~

Well, that was Sakura's POV. I received little to no responses to my question, but this is for the few of you who did. ;) Thanks a million for reviewing, and I hope all of my wonderful readers enjoyed this.

Much love,

child_of_the_moon/17child-of-the-moon17

XO