Demon's Fall Chapter 17: Part XVII, a naruto fanfic

A/N: Final chapter, real sorry for the delay of update, it took a while to come up with how I wanted it to end. Maybe it was too good to end? Heh, I don't know. Meanwhile I've corrected my "grammar mistakes" in earlier chapters, so feel free to read over to see the "changes!"

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Demon's Fall

Summary: Sakura's life is a living hell. Sasuke, a demon from hell, is sent to earth to help Sakura through her awful life. Just one rule, they can't fall in love with each other. SasuSaku.

Chapter 17 – Alive

Her mouth fell open, gawking at the strikingly handsome boy a few yards away from her. Sea green eyes blinked furiously in disbelief, thinking it was her imagination at the works.

Wanting to prove she was only hallucinating things, she forced her frozen legs to move, walking over to the raven-haired human who stood a little distance away. Once there, she looked up at him, seeing he was a head taller than her. Emerald eyes glanced upon his gaze, viewing his vigilantly scrutinizing onyx eyes, watching as they traced every little movement she made.

Slowly, Sakura raised her arm, gentle fingertips grazing the pale boy's cheek. After all, she convinced herself, a delusion isn't real, and she was only being delusional. This was the illusion of the boy she had seen multiple times in the past couple days, in dreams and in hallucinations. This was only her mind playing tricks on her, nothing more.

However, when she felt the slightest flinch beneath her fingertips upon the contact against his cheek, large emerald eyes widened. Raising her hand a little higher, she lightly ran her hand through silky raven hair, blank ebony pupils continuing to watch her movements diligently as she let her hand linger in sleek corvine locks.

Her mouth fell open a little more as a soft, almost inaudible gasp escaped her throat.

She remained in that position for a few moments, not noticing Sasuke's own pale arm rise, his hand encasing over hers as he intertwined his fingers through her own unmoving ones. His grip still tight on her hand, he lowered her arm, his grasp not faltering as let their conjoined body parts hang limply between them.

Large jade eyes blinked slowly, too dazed to notice her clutched fingers.

"Sakura…" Sasuke drawled out succulently slow.

The sound caused her eyes to enlarge conspicuously, realizing this stranger before her had the same hauntingly deep, husky voice she had heard numerously from her dreams.

"You… you're—" she started before another voice interrupted her.

"Hey, hey! If it isn't Sasuke!"

Naruto's voice called out from behind, having watched Sakura's strange actions with baffled cerulean eyes until he looked around her, seeing the corvine-haired boy in front of her. A grin set on his tan, whiskery face as he walked leisurely over to the two. Lifting his arm, he gave a somewhat light slap to the back of the Uchiha.

"What are you doing here, huh?" he questioned before azure eyes blinked in comprehension. "Wait a minute…" he started, remembering what had happened at the infirmary. "How did you leave the hospital without me noticing you, huh? I have pretty good hearing, but I didn't hear a sound! I didn't even see you leave, and I was right outside the door!"

Sasuke moved his onyx gaze from the stunned face of Sakura's to Naruto, his mouth quirking slightly. "I took the window, dolt."

The blonde raised an eyebrow at the statement. His face held disbelief and suspicion. "I didn't hear the window creak open."

"It was already open."

Naruto looked up in the sky, contemplating for a few moments before believing Sasuke's false alibi, as it was an authentic lie. Quickly losing his calm façade, his grin returned to his face.

"Well, all right, then! So, Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme…" his voice trailed off as Naruto began to resume his mindless chatter from before, speaking of random subjects.

The Uchiha kept his blank composure, ignoring Naruto with half a mind.

After a few moments as only the blonde's babble could be heard, Sakura somewhat broke out of her vacant state. Emerald eyes trailed down her porcelain arm, only to see the raven-haired man's hand gripping her own firmly still. Idly, she noted her own limp fingers that were yet to lace around his.

Her verdant gaze remained locked on their bound hands, pondering the vaguely affectionate action in her mind. After all, this 'Sasuke' was still a mere stranger to her, the only information of her knowing him coming from what Naruto had explained to her and the bizarre dreams she had been having. But what perplexed the blossom-haired woman most was the fact that she seemed so accustomed to him. As though she already knows him, and at the same time, has no idea who he is or what relation he has to herself.

All the thoughts simultaneously racked her brain, causing her to be ignorant as to what was going on around her, including not noticing Naruto's prattle come to a stop.

"…And that is how ramen was made." The said blonde paused for a moment, his mouth quirking slightly. "Hey, are you guys even listening?"

Jade eyes moved their vacant stare upon the boy, her face void of any reaction as too many thoughts ran through her head for her to give him an answer. Meanwhile, the Uchiha simply averted his gaze, having not been listening in the first place.

Naruto raised his arm, bending it behind his head as he scratched his sun-kissed blonde hair. His cobalt eyes noticed Sasuke's and Sakura's arms, his eyes traveling downward as he viewed their fingers entwined together (having not noticed Sakura's remained hanging flaccidly.)

Tilting his head to the right, he questioned in a confused manner, "Hey, is something going on between you two?"

The eighteen-year-old man followed Naruto's scrutinizing stare as Sasuke noted how he had absent-mindedly kept a grip on the girl's hand in front of him. And yet, his body did not bother to release the clasp as onyx orbs viewed the blossom-haired girl's face.

Upon hearing neither of the two answering his question, Naruto questioned, "Silent treatment, eh?" Then a sly grin grew on his tanned expression, interjecting, "You guys want me to leave so you can have your alone time, huh?" He chortled shortly, adding in a joking tone, "Am I being a third wheel here?" He turned, beginning to walk away as he further said, "Yeah, don't worry about me, I can take a hint!"

Cerulean eyes glanced up at the sky, his grin still plastered on his face as he stated idly, "I wonder what Hinata-chan's doing…"

Ultimately coming to her senses upon noticing her companion leave, Sakura shook her head, breaking out of her distant state. Upon remembering her hand grasped firmly by Sasuke, her mouth tugged slightly in a frown.

With a light jerk, she tried to tow her hand from his hold. In response to the wrench, the Uchiha's grip indolently tightened. Noticing this, Sakura tugged her hand once more, this time with more force as she successfully yanked her hand away from his.

Moving her head upwards, emerald eyes instantly locked with intense onyx orbs, slightly flinching upon observing how the raven-haired man already had his head turned towards her.

"You…" she began, gradually. Rising her head slightly higher, her large sea green eyes flashed.

"Who are you?"

A soft breeze blew by as leaves rustled from the gentle wind.

Upon not hearing a response, Sakura briefly took a step forward, continuing her interrogation.

"Well? Who are you?" she repeated in a demanding tone. "Why have you appeared in my dreams and hallucinations? Why do you feel so… so familiar but I can't figure out who you are?" Her hands rose, weaving themselves through her glossy pink tresses. "And why do I feel pained that I can't remember you? It's—It's so…!"

It was evident that her aggravation was beginning to grow as she groaned before exhaling noisily, her hands clutching chunks of carnation-colored hair.

Upon her numerous inquisition, Sasuke had watched her with faintly widened ebony pupils, taken aback at all her questioning—but more bothered at her starting inquiry.

"Who are you?"

The beginning query had echoed in his mind repeatedly, whilst the rest of her questions began to sound like a buzzing hum.

"You've… forgotten me?" asked the pale figure in a murmur, thick raven bangs covering piercing onyx eyes.

Sakura took a shaky breath upon his tone. "What… are you, to me?"

Ebony eyes bled to that of the Sharingan as they peered through corvine locks.

"Your protector."

His answer was short and brisk.

The blossom-haired girl lowered her eyelids, pointing her verdant stare upon the floor. There was something about him… she couldn't put her finger on what it was, exactly, but something about him made her feel… livid. She moved her head back up, large apple green eyes rising to meet his penetrating gaze. Glimpsing directly in his intent look, it was then she noticed something.

His eyes.

They were not the onyx color she had seen on him a few moments before. They were distinctly crimson, creating contrast between flashing burgundy eyes and dark raven locks. Her heart skipped upon the intensity of his stare, amazed upon how she could be at such a mix of emotions by the mere depth of his gaze with no spoken words required.

And yet, upon seeing his scarlet eyes, she felt a pounding in the back of her skull, as though her subconscious was trying to tell her something, but could not get the message across.

It wasn't until she was hit with flashes of a remembrance, her sea green eyes glazing over during the recollection, that she realized what her subliminal mind was trying to tell her.

Tetsuki took out a rifle; a rifle Sakura didn't know her father owned.

Where—When did he get that? her mind screamed.

Everything happened so quickly; everything was a blur to her. All she heard was the deafening sound of a gunshot, and the sickening sound of blood splattering across the floor from the shadow flashed in front of her. Snapping open her eyes, shaky emerald green orbs looked up, afraid of whom that gun was aimed at. She met her fears when she saw the massive blood spilling out from Sasuke's body.

The bullet had hit him—the shot imbedded right near his heart.

Quaking jade pupils glanced at the demon, and upon the glimpse, noticed there was something different about Sasuke's eyes. Not only were they clouded for blood lust, the beaming scarlet showing the need for the shed of blood as his hands gripped his wound as countless blood poured out of it, but also his eyes were glazed over. Despite the fact that his mouth was twisted in an evil grin, barring sharp fangs on his white teeth, his eyes were distant.

Sasuke took a step forward, and Tetsuki was watching him in shock. Then, in the blink of an eye, Sasuke was in front of the man, lifting him up from the neck, strangling him until he threw him to the wall like a rag doll. Sakura gasped from the massive strength when she heard bones crack from Sasuke's strong toss.

Tetsuki's neck held purple strangle marks, and from the cracks he probably broke a bone or more. The Haruno male tried to get up, but couldn't from the massive pain.

Sasuke took no pity on him though.

He walked over, picking up the man and grinning at him sadistically. Then the Uchiha threw him back down, and took a hold of Tetsuki's wrist, snapping it as though it were a twig, earning a pained scream from Tetsuki. The scream echoed in Sakura's ears. Sasuke stepped cruelly on his legs, already bruising Tetsuki just from touching him. His claws scraped against his arms, and more blood flowed out. Sasuke licked his lips, eyes gleaming as he was partly satisfied with the bloodshed. He lifted Tetsuki up yet again, this time from the collar of his shirt.

Sasuke was torturing her father, deciding to protect Sakura of her problem by never letting her face drunken abuses again by killing the one who caused it, painfully slow so he would suffer the pain he had brought.

Uchiha, still not satisfied, was about to return to torturing Tetsuki after he dropped him from a few feet, but Sakura's scream stopped him.

"Sasuke-kun!" she yelled. She forced her body, which was still shaking wildly from the massive violence she had just seen form her innocent jade green eyes, and yelled, "STOP IT!"

Sasuke didn't turn around, instead did stop mid-movement just as he was bending down to pick up Tetsuki once again. Sakura forced her legs to carry her over to Sasuke, wrapping her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his back.

"Stop it…" she whispered. "Why are you doing this?"

She felt Sasuke tense underneath her touch. Then, his wings began receding back into his back, black marks disappearing, his eyes regaining their original onyx color as fangs and claws also disappeared. Sasuke grunted from the feeling of just transforming back, and Sakura still grasped onto him tightly.

"What… what happened to you, Sasuke-kun? Why'd you…?" Sakura couldn't continue her sentence. She had no idea how to describe what had just happened, what she had just seen.

The Sharingan was still in Sasuke's eyes as the tomoes swirled. He muttered a few words as they hung in the air of an uncomfortable silence.

"I… protected you…"

My… protector…? the blossom-haired girl repeated his words in her mind, feeling lightheaded.

In her remembrance, she had seen him transform into some other form, just as her latter dream a couple days before had demonstrated to her. She then remembered what Naruto had told her.

"You told me he was a demon, and I've met him before you know! The way you describe him matches him perfectly." He scratched his blonde head some more. "What I don't get is why you don't remember him, since you're the one who told me who he is!"

"Well, how did I know him?"

The blond waved his hand. "You said he was some demon guy sent from hell here to help you with your dad. Not that he needs to anymore, he's dead."

A demon… from hell? she questioned mentally. She glanced up at him before averting her gaze over his broad shoulder. So he did speak some truth. Her eyelids hooded over apple green orbs. But… he's a demon, so wouldn't that mean he's dangerous? How could he be my protector? How—?

"Just what are you?" she inquired, glancing upon his dark ebony eyes once more, cutting off her thoughts.

Obsidian pupils looked back into her own, his stare unyielding and fixed. He could see the faint doubt beneath her emerald eyes, being able to somewhat know what she was thinking of him.

"Not what you think I am," he retorted, his voice low.

The blossom-haired girl lifted an eyebrow, her arm rising as it made its way against her hip, leaning her weight on one of her legs. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I explained."

Her mouth tugged slightly in a frown, crossing her arms over her torso.

"Try me."

A light chuckle escaped his throat. "You'll think I'm insane."

"We'll see."

"…Suit yourself." Onyx eyes glanced around the surroundings. "Let's go for a walk."

"…I completed my part, and Heaven kept their word, despite the earlier circumstance. I've been given a second chance at life, to 'start over.'" Ebony orbs blinked slowly. "That's it."

Eventually the couple had come to a stone bench, sitting down as Sasuke finished his explanation.

Upon the conclude, Sakura sat perfectly still, stunned from the story the Uchiha had told. She blinked a couple times, processing all the new information in her mind.

"…You gave up your second life to save mine?" she asked, her voice a breathy whisper after a few moments of lingering silence.

The raven-haired male gave her a faint nod.

She smiled slightly. "Wow, I never would've thought…" She turned her head, emerald eyes glancing upon his pale skin. "That's probably why I can't remember you. Maybe, because we 'broke' the big 'love rule' with Heaven, that you getting your second life but excluding my memory of you was their idea of a just penalty for breaking that rule."

His eyelids hooded over dark onyx eyes. "So it seems."

Sakura nodded, her head bobbing as her own eyelids drooped over her eyes. The events of the day had begun to make her drowsy, as well as the fact that she hadn't been able to get a good night's rest the past couple of days prior ever since her peculiar imaginings of a certain raven-haired male. A soft yawn escaped her cherry pink lips as sleepiness began to consume her. Her body then began to feel tipsy, leaning left and right before feeling her head land against a broad shoulder.

Her cheeks reddened slightly as she mentally debated whether to move off the Uchiha, partially pondering if he minded the lean at all as he made no movement despite a slight flinch before relaxing his muscles. However, numbness soon overwhelmed Sakura as thick lashes lowered, almost immediately covering large sea green eyes.

Sasuke, upon feeling her slant her weight against him, glanced at her with vague curiosity. Upon hearing her even breathing, it didn't take him long to realize she had fallen asleep.

He chuckled briefly before slowly adjusting himself, scooping her up in his arms bridal style as he decided to take her to her closest friend Naruto to care for her.

Soon he reached the door of the blonde's apartment (after asking a few passing-by girls if they knew where Naruto lived, only to find the questioning pointless by only getting squeals and hearts in their eyes out of them whilst Teuchi and Ayame answered for the girls), hitting the door lightly with his hand. He pushed Sakura higher in his arms, noticing her body beginning to droop slightly as her head rested against the crook of his neck, her legs dangling off the hold of his right hand.

A few moments later the blue-eyed boy opened the door, glancing curiously at the raven-haired male. "Sasuke-teme? What are you doing here?" His eyes glanced down at the girl in his arms, only to instantly realize it was Sakura by her distinct bubblegum pink hair. He grinned crookedly at the sight. "Fell asleep on you, huh?"

"Hn," the Uchiha grunted, walking in as Naruto stepped aside, holding the door open wider to the let his companions in.

Once inside, Sasuke noticed the presence of another as he glanced over, seeing a dark-haired girl sitting on a couch with two instant ramen cups in front of her, the steam from the broth rising into the air, the scent of ramen lingering in the atmosphere.

"Heh, sorry, Hinata-chan," spoke Naruto, grinning sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "This'll only take a sec."

Sasuke merely said nothing, giving a nod to acknowledge the presence of the Hyuuga as Hinata gave a small, shy smile in return.

"You could put Sakura-chan here, Sasuke," Naruto stated, pointing at a vacant room with a small bed inside.

The Uchiha nodded, walking inside as he leaned over, slipping Sakura off his arms as he lay her across the bed. Her head turned as a soft sound escaped her throat, her hand rising and laying across her stomach. Naruto smiled, taking the covers and placing them over the blossom-haired girl.

"She'll stay here for the night," Naruto told the raven-haired male as the two began to walk out of the room silently.

Birds chirped as morning beams hit against the porcelain skin of Sakura's as the girl shut her eyes tight before opening them. She sat up, stretching her arms wide as a small yawn escaped her lips.

What a strange dream… she thought, droopy eyes glancing around her surroundings, slightly dazed.

She did a double take as she realized she wasn't familiar with the walls around her, only for her rising heartbeat to calm when she soon recognized the simple décor of Naruto's home.

Still sitting upright, her hands lowered in her lap before lifting the covers, only to realize she was in pajamas instead of her original clothing she had worn before she remembered herself drifting to slumber.

Her cheeks warmed out of embarrassment and anger, her mind instantly assuming Naruto had changed her. That perverted little…!

Kicking off the covers, she swung her legs over, carrying her feet across the wooden floor as she walked towards his kitchen, knowing the blonde would be there most likely with his favorite food stuffing his face with noodles.

"So, let me get this straight. You're not a demon anymore?"

"No."

Eyebrows shot up. "No kidding! No wonder you seemed a little different…"

Jade eyes blinked curiously upon hearing Naruto's usual cheery tone along with another male voice.

She walked in, only to see Naruto and Sasuke sitting around a small table, two glasses and one ramen cup against the counter as the two men glanced at her upon her arrival.

Her mind didn't recognize the raven-haired male at first until little remembrances hit her brain. This caused her face to flush, remembering they had been conversing on a bench as she came to realize she must have dozed off against him, causing him to carry her over to Naruto's.

She pointed her emerald gaze down, flustered as she fingered the hem of her pajama top. Upon seeing the sleeping wear, she immediately remembered why she had originally stormed into the kitchen in the first place, a scowl setting in her features, her hand clenching in a fist as she looked at Naruto.

The said blonde looked back at her, head tilting to the side in confusion at her sudden glare at him.

"Naruto, did you change me?" she questioned in an eerily calm tone.

Cerulean pupils eyed her clothing before he instantly raised his arms in a surrendering motion in his defense. "Wait, wait a minute, Sakura-chan! I didn't touch you!"

Sakura, her face holding disbelief, began cracking her knuckles. "How did I get in these pajamas, then?"

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke as the latter simply sipped his glass of tea idly, onyx eyes closed as his expression was composed.

The blossom-haired girl quirked an eyebrow, eyeing the two men back and forth.

The azure-eyed boy looked back at her, grinning sheepishly as he raised his index finger, scratching lightly at his temple.

"Well…"

"You could put Sakura-chan here, Sasuke," Naruto stated, pointing at a vacant room with a small bed inside.

"She'll stay here for the night," Naruto told the raven-haired male as the two began to walk out of the room silently.

The blonde then paused, causing the raven-haired male to glance at him upon his sudden stop.

"Oh, wait, wouldn't Sakura-chan be uncomfortable sleeping in those clothes?" he asked, rubbing the back of his golden hair as cobalt pupils eyeballed her garments. "Shouldn't she change?"

Sasuke quirked an elegant eyebrow at his suggestion.

Naruto then did a little cringe, adding, "Then again, Sakura-chan does get really cranky when she's woken up from her sleep.

A silence passed between the two men.

"…Maybe someone should change her, eh?"

"Hell no," the Uchiha immediately snapped.

Naruto scowled at his instant rejoinder. "Well, I'm sure as hell not doing it! Sakura-chan would kill me!" He scratched his hair, adding, "Besides, you brought her here, so shouldn't you do it?!"

"Just do it, dobe."

"Hell no!"

"I'm not doing it."

"Well, neither am I! Why can't you do it, huh?!"

"I'm a man."

"And I'm not?!"

"No."

"Then what does that make me, teme?!"

"A loser."

"AM NOT!"

"Then do it."

"NO!"

"Um, Naruto-kun…"

"Not now, Hinata-chan!"

"Ah, sorry…" Her little feet scurried out the door, having come in the first place after hearing the yelling.

Naruto then opened his mouth once more before cerulean eyes widened in recognition. He then gave a foxy grin whilst Sasuke looked at him strangely.

"Sasuke-teme, I just found a solution to both our problems!"

The Uchiha lifted an eyebrow, watching the blonde stroll out of the room.

"Hey, Hinata-chan! I need a favor!"

"So… Hinata-chan did it?" Sakura questioned while Naruto bobbed his head up and down rapidly.

"You know I wouldn't take advantage of you like that, Sakura-chan!" He sweat-dropped as the blossom-haired girl gave him a deadpanned look.

She walked forward, pulling out a lone chair as she sat herself in the seat, musing to herself tranquilly as she sat between Naruto and Sasuke.

"So…" Naruto began idly, deciding to strike up conversation. "Where're you staying at, teme?"

Sasuke opened one of his onyx orbs before closing it again. "Where I lived when I was alive."

"And where's that?" the blonde asked, sending him a questioning look as Sakura glimpsed at the Uchiha, the small talk peeking her curiosity.

"Uchiha Compound," he answered simply once feeling the two's gazes against him.

"And you, Sakura-chan?" Cerulean eyes darted over to his pink-haired best friend.

Sakura gave him a puzzled look. "Where I've been staying all my life, Naruto." Upon hearing the statement, Sasuke idly glowered.

"You shouldn't be there," he retorted briskly.

Lifting an eyebrow, the girl glanced over at the raven-haired male. "And why's that?"

"Yeah, Sasuke-teme's got a point, Sakura-chan," Naruto chimed in. "That place is full of evil or something. Why don't you just sell it and buy a place of your own?"

Sakura frowned faintly, "Because, Naruto, Sasuke, that place has sentimental value too, even if all the experiences weren't 'pleasant' ones." She slightly cringed upon the little remembrances.

Naruto scoffed under his breath, leaning back in his chair as he folded his arms behind his head, "Screw sentimental value, Sakura-chan, the place is cursed!" He ignored the scowl the blossom-haired girl sent his way.

"Then where do I stay, huh?" she questioned, her tone harsh.

"With me, of course—!" the blonde stated before his ears perked upon hearing his phone ringing. Getting up from his seat, he walked over, picking up the phone. "Hello? Oh, Hinata-chan, hey! No, not really…" He had begun to walk off, his voice growing more and more remote.

Sakura heaved out a frustrated sigh, pushing her chair back as she stood up. Sasuke watched her, wondering what she was doing. Seeing her rise her hand to the side of her mouth, she called, "Naruto! I'm going out for a walk."

"Uh, yeah, sure!" the Uchiha heard the said boy call from a distance.

Frustrations had begun eating away at Sakura ever since the beginning of her residence situation. Yes, she didn't like most of the memories the area withdrew, but as she had stated previously, it did hold sentimental value, it being the place where she grew up and where her formerly alive mother had lived. She wasn't ready to lose those memories, not yet.

Huffing out a sigh, she turned on her heel, heading towards the door. She heard the screech of chair legs scraping against the floor as the carnation-haired young woman glanced behind her, her mouth set in a frown as she furrowed an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, seeing the Uchiha take a few steps towards her.

"Going with you," he stated brusquely.

She let her baffled expression etch across her face. "What? Why?"

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "Why not?"

"Well, why not stay with Naruto?"

"And listen to the dobe talk senselessly?" Sasuke snorted, his tone evenly flat and laced with sarcasm. "I'll pass."

Ah, quit arguing with him, will you? When a hot guy like him wants to walk with you, you don't argue with him about it! Inner Sakura advised, followed by a couple snickers.

Sakura rolled her eyes at her alter ego's thought, shrugging unresponsively to the Uchiha as she decided to say no more, walking out the door of Naruto's small apartment with the raven-haired male going along a few moments later.

The pair walked by the side as Sakura enjoyed the soft breeze, a comfortable silence taking place between the two.

"You should move and sell the house, Sakura."

Sasuke's low, rich voice cut the peaceful stillness of the moment as Sakura opened both her emerald eyes, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked a few times registering what the man beside her had spoken. Upon realizing the statement, a frown marred her pretty face as she sighed.

"Why do you and Naruto want me to move out so badly?"

"Your father's dead, isn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Then move on."

"By selling the house?" Sakura stopped her pacing, turning to face him as she placed her hands on her hips. "Where will I stay then, hm? I'm not going to give Naruto the burden by staying with him."

Sasuke had halted his stride upon the blossom-haired girl stopping, his face twisting slightly as he looked pensive for a moment.

"Then you'll stay with me."

Sakura's eyebrows shot up at his offer. "At the Uchiha Compound?"

He gave a small shrug indifferently. "Why not, there's more than enough room."

The girl pursed her lips, her expression turning thoughtful as she contemplated his proffer. "I don't know…"

Sasuke lifted his foot slightly, kicking an idle pebble. He moved his onyx gaze; his pale hand moving as his fingers gently caressed her cheek.

"Stay with me. Let me protect you."

Sakura blinked her eyes a few times upon hearing the earnestness in his voice, feeling the gentle stroke of his fingers against her cheek. She could feel the blood pooling in her cheeks as she blushed, her heartbeat accelerating higher little by little with each passing moment.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." replied the blossom-haired girl, giving Sasuke a bright smile nonetheless as she leaned into his hand at his sincerity, knowing he didn't show that side of him often. Rising her arm, she encased her hand over his own, loosely keeping her grip as she lowered her hand with her fingers lacing through his. She leaned her upper torso forward slightly, large sea green eyes peering up at his gaze. "But I'm not a helpless little girl, you know."

"Sakura…" the raven-haired man growled faintly, his expression somewhat annoyed at her stubbornness.

Sakura giggled at his face, giving him a playful smile. "I'll think about it, okay?" Upon seeing his eyebrows furrow down at her, she couldn't help but giggle again, wounding her arms around his neck as she embraced him. "Alright, alright, I'll stay with you."

Leaning back somewhat, arms still around his neck, thick lashes rose above jade pupils. She found herself getting lost in the dark intensity of his ebony stare.

Her eyelids lowered as she tipped forward, her lips brushing against his before feeling him press his mouth against hers firmly. Instantly her eyes came to a close as she felt one arm around her waist, another at the nape of her neck as he pushed her closer, his mouth slanting over hers.

After all, now the Uchiha could do whatever affection considered "loving" with her without Hell constantly on his back, reminding him to "follow the rules." Now, as human, he had no more limitations, no more boundaries.

Moreover, despite that in Sakura's mind Sasuke was still somewhat considered a foreign person to her, having lost all recollection of him until seeing him alive, his lips against hers felt so natural and instinctive to her. Not to mention he was making her feel lightheaded.

Eventually the need for air increased in her lungs causing her to part away from him, her cheeks rosy as they flushed even more, light pants escaping her throat as his forehead rested against hers.

"We have no more restrictions," he murmured to her after a few moments. "No more bounds." Piercing onyx orbs locked with viridian ones. "Now, we can start over."

Sakura glimpsed deep in his eyes. A wide, genuine smile set place on her porcelain features.

"I'd like that."

D E M O N ' S F A L L

END

A/N: Wow, heh, this is my new record. One of the longest chapters I've ever written for any of my stories in general.

Aw, I can't believe Demon's Fall is over. It got more popular than I expected, and I appreciated every single review I got. Thank you guys!

The ending, well, I've been really into the pairing Cloud and Tifa and Zach and Aeris after being re-introduced to Final Fantasy VII, so I mostly got my inspiration from that, hahaha. Honestly, in my opinion, I think Zach kind of looks like Sasuke. Except for his eyes, and slightly the back of his hair. There are some times where the his face and the front of his hair look just like Sasuke's. I see a resemblance.

Heh, enough of my babble. Hope you enjoyed my 18 paged length of a final chapter!

I'm not going to be updating for a while because I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed in seven hours. It's currently 1 in the morning. I'm going to be resting because of the swelling and the numbness and pain and etc. And school's coming up in a couple of weeks… I'll try my best with the updating.

And to conclude my really long Author's Note, I started this story on 1-29-07 and am completing it on 8-07-08. Thanks everyone for reading, and once and for all, read and review!