Disclaimers: I do not own the series Naruto, if I did, Sasuke and Sakura would already be together, Sasuke wouldn't have left the village, and everything would be ok and everyone would be just chipper.

TO EVERYONE:

I do not accept flames or anything that has to slightest bit to do with rudeness. So if you wish to complain about something, please message me or send me an e-mail and we can discuss the problem. I only accept positive reviews from my reviewers. So if you don't like my story or if you have a problem with it, don't read it. I hate people who just leave bad reviews because they are in a bad mood or if I have errors. I know that there are SOME errors because of the program I am using and stuff. So please, do not send me bad reviews because of those things. I'm sorry if I'm sounding mean about this.

Sorry about the delayed update…my computer wasn't really working so yeah…So, enjoy!

Chapter 3: Let's take it slow…no more secrets

Sasuke picked up Sakura and began to carry her back to his apartment. "You need to get cleaned up. That guy did some serious damage to you. So, you will be staying at my place tonight. You will be taking a shower and I will be providing you with some fresh clothes to wear since yours are all torn up. You will not fight me on this Sakura. I am going to take full responsibility for what happened this evening. I should not have left you like that. So I sincerely apologize to you. Don't think I did that intentionally; just leaving like that. I was just a little hurt because I wasn't expecting what had happened. But, I'm glad that you have returned my feelings." Sasuke said as he stopped walking.

"Well, we're here." He said as he unlocked the door and brought Sakura inside and placed her on his bed. "I'll put some fresh clothes in the bathroom and I'll start a bath for you. So you can just take your clothes off and I'll get rid of them." Sasuke said.

Sakura looked at Sasuke and her eyes grew wide and her face turned bright red.

Sasuke, obviously realizing what he just said, threw up his hands and started laughing. "No Sakura not like that. When you're in the bathroom. Not in front of me. I'm sorry if I made it seem like my intentions were off." He said.

'Damn. I'm really fucking things up with her. Where's that cool, calm and collected Uchiha? I've never been like this around Sakura before. Gah I'm confused. I'll just eat an onigiri while she's in the bath.'

"Uhmm Sasuke-kun? I'm going into the bathroom now. So I'll let you do what you were just doing again ok?" she said as she got up and carefully walked towards the bathroom trying not to fall flat on her face.

Once Sasuke was sure that Sakura had gotten into the bathroom safely and he heard her get in the bath, he sat down on his bed and began to once again, think.

'Dammit Uchiha. She's your best friend. You just confessed your feelings to her. You just should be happy she feels the same way about you that you feel towards her. She's probably really freaked out right now. So just don't say anything else to her about love. Just, calm the fuck down Uchiha. Just calm the fuck down…'

-With Sakura-

Sakura stared up at the ceiling recalling the events that had occurred that night.

"What's going on with everyone lately?" she thought aloud.

"Are you ok Sakura?" Sasuke asked from outside the bathroom door, obviously hearing what she just said.

"Yeah I'm fine Sasuke. Just thinking aloud. Nothing to worry about." She answered him. 'Damn.'

"You sure? Do you need my help? You seemed pretty beat up." "DAMMIT UCHIHA STOP FLIRTING!!"

Sakura's eyes widened. She knew she needed help washing her hair, but she didn't want Sasuke seeing her with well…nothing on. But, if he offered… 'I guess it wouldn't hurt that much, I'll have my back turned towards him so he won't see anything. He's my best friend and we've been on missions together so he's seen me in my bra and underwear before when he had to bandage me up. Well, he won't see anything, so I guess it'll be ok.'

"Uhmm Sasuke-kun, I do need help washing my hair since I got dirt in it when I fell." She answered him softly.

Sasuke's eyes widened on the other side of the door. And then he felt a bulge in his pants. 'WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME!!' Sakura I'll be there in a few minutes. I just need to handle something ok?"

"Ok…" she answered quietly.

Sasuke went and sat down on his bed, trying to calm himself down. "Oh god…What am I going to do?"

"Sasuke!" Sakura quietly yelled.

"Coming!" Sasuke said as he made sure he was ahem…calm.

Sasuke walked over to the bathroom door and sighed. He opened to door to see Sakura with her back towards him.

"Let's just get this over with?" she said trying to make the situation less awkward then it already was.

"Yeah." Sasuke said as he began to shampoo her hair.

'Oh my god, he does it so well. His hands are so hard from battle, but he's being so gentle. Whoa Sakura. Calm down!' Sakura was thinking.

'Ok Uchiha. I can sense her arousal rising. Just keep calm. She doesn't need any of this tonight. Calm down Uchiha.' Sasuke was thinking as he rinsed out the shampoo and then started conditioning it.

Sakura sighed and twitched as soap suds hit her cut up back. Sasuke quietly apologized as he looked at her cut up back and automatically got another guilt trip for being such a moron and leaving her. Sasuke rinsed out the conditioner and handed Sakura a towel. He turned around while she got out and then he carried her out to his bed.

"The clothes are dirty I just realized when we were in there. So here's another pair." He said as he handed her a pair of grey sweat pants and a big blue t-shirt with the Uchiha clan symbol on the back. "I don't have like, a bra or underwear for you. Do you need me to run to Naruto's or your house to grab you some? Or do you not care?"

Sakura flinched. "Should I asked why Naruto has women's clothing at his house?"

"No I don't think you should. I was disturbed when I found out why."

"Yeah I'm already disturbed."

Sasuke turned his head and looked out the window which had a great view of the village. "I'll go into the other room while you change. Unless you need my help with that too."

"No I'll be fine."

Sasuke walked out of the room and back into the bathroom so he could clean up. He heard Sakura grunt as she pulled over the t-shirt which was way too big for her. He heard her the pants on as he finished hanging up the towels.

"Is it ok to come out now Sakura?" he said trying to laugh.

"Yeah I'm decent."

Sasuke walked out of the bathroom and saw Sakura sitting down on his bed. He laughed at how big his clothes were on her.

"So, where will I be sleeping?" she asked bluntly.

"With me."

"Ok." She said as she walked into the kitchen to get some food.

Sakura opened up a package of ramen with chicken. (A/n that shits AWESOME. Favorite type of ramen right there.) She filled a pot full of water and started cooking the ramen on the stove. After it finished, she put it in a bowl and sat down at the table and started to eat it.

"Sakura…about earlier…" Sasuke started to say.

Sakura sighed and stood up after she finished eating. She placed the bowl and the spoon in the sink and filled the bowl up with water. And then she went and sat down on Sasuke's bed. Sasuke followed and sat next to her.

"I was serious when I told you that I love you." Sasuke said coolly.

"And I was serious when I told you that I loved you too." Sakura said.

Sasuke placed a finger under her chin and made her look at him. "But I'm going to make you fall in love with me." he said as he lightly placed his lips on top of hers.

Sakura's eyes widened but she didn't reject the kiss. Sasuke pulled away and looked at her in the eyes. "Sakura, I regret ever leaving the village. I regret doing so much in my past. I regret how I treated you and Naruto and everyone else. I was a selfish bastard and all I cared about was myself. I swore to avenge my clan and to kill the person who killed everyone but me. I did not take into consideration that my actions would affect the people closest to me as much as they did. I did not plan on that happening. Really, I didn't plan on a lot of things happening that did happen. Some of the things I was expecting, but most I wasn't. I betrayed you. I betrayed Naruto. I betrayed Kakashi-sensei. And most of all, I betrayed the village that helped me after what happened to my clan. You don't know what it's been like for me every night that I've returned. Every night I sit here and stare up at my ceiling and think about what a dick I've been to everyone. How I wish that I could take back so much. But I know that I can't…"

Sakura's eyes widened. 'I've never seen this side of Sasuke before.'

"Sasuke…"

"No Sakura, please…let me explain everything to you. You are one of the only people who sit here and listen to me…"

Sakura nodded and Sasuke laid his head on her shoulder. 'I guess this is his weak state. He never wants anyone to see him like that. But why is he telling me anyway?'

"The only reason I'm telling you this now…now of all times…is because one day…one day in the future…hopefully we will be together…and I want you to understand and know everything. I don't want there to be any secrets between us anymore. We grew up together and we have always been close. And then as we got older, I became a complete asshole towards you…and you have no idea how I would used to beat myself up over that. Every day, I'd return home and beat myself up. I'd start screaming. Sakura, I really truly love you with all my heart. When we were little kids, I swore to myself that I would always protect you…"

-Back when they were 10-

"Hey Sakura?" a small version of Sasuke asked.

"Yeah Sasuke?"

"Whatever happens to us in the future, I will always protect you and I will never hurt you intentionally…ok?"

"Alright…" the smaller version of Sakura said quietly.

-Back to present-

Sakura's eyes started to tear up.

"No more secrets between us now Sakura. We will tell each other everything. Understand?"

"Yes Sasuke. No more secrets."

Sakura yawned. "Well, I'm getting tired. So I'm going to go to sleep." She said as she laid down on Sasuke's bed and crawled under his sheets. "Goodnight."

"I swear, I will make you fall in love with me. And I will not be breaking that."

I wish I could've told you my feelings before,
But I was afraid.
I was afraid of the rejection,
And I didn't want my heart to hurt anymore than it already was..
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Ahh! Finally an update…Sorry my computer has been being gay. I'll try and update again soon. Hopefully the co-writer will be helping.. Tehe.

Much love,
Minako.