Cherries

Sasuke hated Karin, no it wasn't her fan-girlish tendencies or her explosive violence, if anything those made him tolerate her more.

He didn't hate her loud mouth, bright red obnoxious hair, or her strength.

He hated how much she was just like Sakura.

The fan-girl acts, the fawning over his every move, the violent manner which she behaved in, the almost pink hair, it almost, almost made it seem as if Sakura was with him.

Though the not being as useless thing sort of got to him

There would be mornings where he would wake up next to Karin, and with the sunrise turning that obnoxious red mop into a soft pink, he would allow himself, to just imagine what would have happened it he had stayed, if he had just taken her with him as she'd begged.

Those thoughts never lasted long, he knew she wouldn't have survived in that Snake's Lair, and he would not have been able to stay, staying would have put the rest of them in danger.

Even though now they, she was in danger from him, and just for her he almost wanted to stop, to just go home, not destroy it, he knew he couldn't. He could not face her, not after the pain he'd caused her.

Then Karin would slowly wake up, and he hold his breathe, hoping with all that was left of his heart, that when those eyes opened they'd be vibrant green.

Those plain black eyes never failed to disappoint him.

He swiftly gets up get ready, they were heading for Konoha, the trip would take a few days, he stomach knotted.

If only she had been stronger, then maybe he then, could have taken her with him.

Though Karin was useful, her strength bothered him, why couldn't Sakura have been as strong as the sound-nin.

He shook his head, clearing it with all his 'whys' and 'what ifs', he was going to Konoha, to destroy the place that held so many memories, good and bad.

And most of all he was going to rip out the last bit of his heart that was intact and tread all over it.

He could only hope that she was on a mission, far, far away.

…

Sakura gracefully dodged the objects being thrown at her. The sharp objects, the blunt ones, the giant one and the smallest ones. All of them flying past her as she moved, she knew where they were going to be, sensing them before they were there, knowing exactly how many seconds it was going to take for them to get there.

It was funny how this used to be so hard, now even with Tsunade's super strength the objects just couldn't move fast enough.

The barrage stopped and a smile graced the Hokage's lips, "Well done Sakura, I'm glad to say you've mastered your agility."

"So that means we don't have to do this anymore?" The rosette smiled hopefully.

"You're a funny one." grinned Tsuande, picking up a bowling, "We're starting again, and this time for a few hours longer, lets see how long you can last."

Sakura groaned, but readied herself for the barrage to come.

After that came hand o hand combat, a bit of target practice, then medical teaching, as well as biology and science. Almost all of Sakura's day was spent training, there we times where she almost felt grateful that the Uchiha had left, otherwise most of her time would have been used for fawning over the boy.

Not that she didn't at first. After he left, she cried, then moped, then after Naruto came back she became determined and angry.

How dare he call her weak?

How dare he leave her? On a bench too! She could've been raped!

And 'thank you', that was not the way to leave a person, she would have preferred him to insult her as his last words instead of ones with heart felt meaning.

This anger and frustration came out in her training as she pushed herself harder, studied harder, and trained harder. She was going to prove him wrong.

Overall she had become one of the best nin in her age group, often being compared to Neji or Shikamaru.

After the grueling training session, Tsunade led her into the office.

"I didn't want to give you this mission, but Naruto is training wit Jiraya and no one else is good enough for the job. Just promise me you won't let your emotions take control."

Sakura rolled her eyes, for heavens sake what kind of kunoichi did Tsunade take her for?

"Tsunade-sama, I promise, but really do you think I'm that unskilled?" she grinned.

The slug-princess said nothing, eyes sad, only handing her the scroll, Sakura's breathe caught as she read it.

"So, I'm to bring him back?"

"No only reconnaissance, we want to know why he's near the village and what his intentions are, and who are the people he's traveling with. You are not to put yourself in danger, if you die I swear I'll bring you back just to kill you off again." and with that she was off.

…

Sasuke was ready to strangle Karin, even Sakura knew when to shut-up but the loud red-head would just not shut her stupid trap.

"Shut the fuck up." growled Suigetsu.

She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the water-nin, "Make me."

"Karin, shut-up."

She shut her mouth immediately not wanting her 'darling' to be angry at her. Sasuke preferred her quiet, it made it easier to pretend that she was Sakura.

At the thought he couldn't help a light smirk grace his lips, Suigetsu had slipped some bleach into Karin shampoo, turning the gaudy red into soft pink.

She had epically freaked out and the color was back now, to it original red, if not a little orange. However in those few hours, he felt closer to the one he had left behind.

They had stopped in a village, only a day away from Konoha, they were going to rest for the big day tomorrow.

The inn wasn't the best, but would do, apparently they were the only other guests that night.

Karin had begged him to come down and eat dinner with her in the common room, but the offer was taken up Jugo, thus causing Suigetsu to drag her down stairs with out the Uchiha.

As the three sat down a girl came down the stairs, her hair rosy, jade eyes bright, and graceful body floating down the stairs.

"Look at the legs on that one." Suigetsu whistled.

Karin growled, "She's not so great, I mean who has pink hair?"

"You did this morning."

His comment was reciprocated with a thwack on the head.

"Sorry to interrupt the lovers quarrel, but does anyone find her too graceful?" asked Jugo.

Karin quickly checked her chakra signals, "Nothing more than an average person, the inn-keeper has more chakra in him."

The 2 men visible relaxed.

"Now imma gonna make my move." Suigetsu gave his toothy grin.

"Tch, 10 bucks says you'll get rejected flat out."

"I say 15 that she'll be polite." shrugged Jugo, taking the bet.

Suigetsu rolled his eyes and walked over to said girl.

…

Out of the corner of her eye Sakura watched as the water-nin, approached, he looked exactly like one of the men in the scroll, she was lucky to choose this inn.

"Hey, how's it going?" he grinned, showing off his pointing teeth.

She forced out her best smile, the word creep floating through her mind.

"Not too bad, a bit lonely though." Sakura shrugged.

"Why don't you join me and my friends then?" Suigetsu suggested.

Sakura thought about the offer, it was a wonderful way to get the information she needed, but was she really about to place herself in between 3 S-Class criminals.

Glancing at the table she noted the ferocious red-head glaring threateningly at her. Sakura smiled genuinely, aright she'd bite. "Why not? I could use some company."

In the words of her inner, 'bring it bitch.'

…

Karin was angry, very angry. This pink-haired freak was a threat, she could sense it.

Bitch wasn't gonna steal her man, Sasuke wouldn't fall for this bimbos charms like the other two idiots had.

She crossed her arms and sat back in her chair, listening to the conversation.

"So what are you doing traveling alone?" Juugo asked.

"I'm looking for work." she smiled, god how much Karin hated that smile, lighting up the skank's face, making everything seem cheery."

"Really what do you do?"

"I'm a, dancer."

Karin blinked, was there a bit of hesitation there? What was that pause? What was she hiding?

"What kind of dancer?" Karin grinned, giving the girl a look.

The pink-haired freak didn't even blink, just laughed, "Sorry, hun, I don't do what you're thinking, and either way I don't swing that way."

The two men couldn't help but laugh, as Karin's face went redder than her hair, "You bitch! For your information I have a boyfriend."

Sakura leaned over to Suigetsu, and loudly whispered, "What this boyfriend a woman at any point in 'his' life?"

He laughed, wrapping an arm around Sakura, "I like you."

"Well I don't." Karin muttered, Sakura pretended not to hear, "Yeah, most normal people do."

With this Karin, let out a scream of rage and stormed upstairs, Sakura put a sad look on her face, "I don't think your friend like me very much…"

…

Karin was angry, she was furious, she was LIVID.

"How dare that BITCH talk to me like that! AGHHHH!" she screamed as she smashed tables and through chairs at the wall.

Sasuke of course wasn't too pleased with the noise, he was trying to sleep.

"Karin, shut up."

She let out an animalistic growl, and continued trashing the room.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, apparently she wasn't going to stop until he showed some compassion, well pretended to…and he didn't want to pay anymore damage fines.

"What happened?"

Karin let out another scream of frustration, "That, that, that pink-haired whore! Down there is what happened. How dare she come waltzing down those goddamned stairs!"

"Karin, the stairs didn't do anything to you get over it."

"I'm not talking about the stupid stairs I'm talking about that fucking pink haired freak down their chatting up Suigetsu and Juugo! ARGGHH!"

Sasuke blinked… Pink hair? How many pink-haired people do you come by?

He ran down stairs, leaving Karin alone…

Maybe she should've kept her hair pink…

…

Sakura was too busy fighting off Suigetsu's drunken advances to notice the mass of chakra moving down the stairs.

She already knew as much as she needed, and was trying to get back to the Hokage in time to start defensive preparations, but the idiot water-nin, had drank a few too many and was making it a bit hard.

She was a ninja god damn it! Avoiding one drunken guys flirtations shouldn't be this hard!

Well, if only the other one wasn't sober, then she could kunai this guys ass and run off,

but sadly mister muscle over there, did not drink. Suddenly she felt a pinch… oh no he didn't.

"DID YOU JUST GRAB MY ASS!?!" she screamed, flipping the poor drunken soul, onto the ground, leaving him groaning, "Ugh your just like Karin…"

Sakura froze when she heard a chuckle come from behind. And she knew that chuckle, she had only heard once or twice at most, but she knew it, even if it had been deepened to a lower pitch and seemed much colder

"Oh fuck…"

Sasuke laughed bitterly, of this was just his luck, just before he's going to destroy his past, the most important part of it shows up.

"Oh fuck is right, Sakura."

The other two looked at each other confused, "You two know each other? Sasuke why didn't you introduce us to your dancer friend?"

Sasuke raised a brow, "Dancer? Try ninja."

A/n: yeah that's the end of this one shot, sorry if anyone expected more, but honestly, I kinda like the cliffy-ish ending here, you can decide for YOURSELF what happens next.

OH NO! I have to think for myself! What a tragedy!

Sorry, bad joke. But yeah, I like the whole lack of an ending thing, idk, flames accepted though I prob won't reply and if anyone wants a to finish this up for whoever can't think for themselves feel free, I'm outtie.

Tsom, pa.