Bleed for Me

Author's Note: I woke up one morning and had an idea that I just had to write down for a Sakura and Sasuke story and now here I am actually writing it; there will of course be other pairings, like Ino and Sai. This is strongly rated M for language, sexual encounters, sexual harassment, and suicidal themes (title has been changed).

Chapter 1: Pining

Curled up on her side, mind throbbing with inconsistent waves of pain, lay Haruno Sakura.

Why? Why did he have to leave the village? Why?

She had just been released by the interrogation corps, who she found she was visiting more frequently; Tsunade had sent her in hopes that maybe they could unlock something more about the night when Sasuke's defection from Konohagakure occurred, but Sakura knew that her memories were intact, knew that everything was there down to the parting 'thank you'.

Anguished tears tarnished her paling cheeks.

Why Sasuke? Why'd you do it?

Balling her trembling hands into quivering fists, Sakura seized the sheets beneath her, unable to control the agony she continued to endure. She almost couldn't stand it any longer. Going to bed required the endless hours of thought to plague her mind, keeping her awake long until dawn broke across the horizon. Why couldn't she get over him?

I just wanted to be with you…Sasuke…

Her eyelids closed, tears spilling between them.

I would've done anything for you then, anything.

A choking sob racked her body, pink hair disappearing from the light formerly shining upon it.

Even now, I would still do anything for you.

"Hey! Good morning Sakura!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically, grin widening at her arrival.

Glancing up at the hyperactive blonde, Sakura narrowed her glinting emerald eyes and scolded, "Naruto, you can't go around shouting this early in the morning!" They stood together, waiting out the Hokage's office to speak with Tsunade. The cerise-haired kunoichi sighed heavily, rubbing wearily at her eyes. Naruto stared at her.

Hesitating, Naruto asked, fumbling with his words, "Uh, Sakura-chan? By any chance, have you been getting enough sleep lately? You're, um, looking a little more tired than usual." Sakura pricked up at this, eyes snapping open as she jerked her gaze over to meet Naruto's concerned azure orbs flashing with worry. When Sakura didn't answer immediately, the blonde spoke her name again to withdraw her from her paused state. "Sakura?"

"W-what?" she stammered. "Y-yes! Of course I've been getting enough sleep!"

Why is he always asking me that? He doesn't need to be so worried.

Sighing irritably, Sakura pretended that nothing had happened and muttered about how Tsunade was taking as long as Kakashi used to. Her eyes meandered over the empty corridors leading to where they were located, frowning as she caught sight of her reflection in a window.

No wonder Naruto's worried…those circles under my eyes are darker than midnight.

"Sakura?" Naruto murmured, wanting to break the silence. "Can I…ask you something?"

Tensing, painfully aware of Naruto's unpredictability Sakura managed a reluctant, "Yes." She calmly considered what he might ask her, hoping and praying it wasn't why she wasn't getting enough sleep to walk properly anymore; though, each time he asked her she would always have to lie and make up some excuse that left guilt to eat away at her.

This time, however, Naruto chose not to pursue his inquiry. "Never mind, it's nothing."

Both troubled and relieved by his response, Sakura said nothing, grateful that he hadn't asked her anything. She hoped that if anything, it was a failed attempt to ask her out on a date, a request that she hadn't heard in the two years since Sasuke left the village. It took her a moment to realize that the only reason he refused to voice his query was that Tsunade had opened her doors and was already summoning them into her office.

"Sakura!" Tsunade beckoned from within, startling Sakura. "What are you doing out there?"

"Sorry!" Sakura quickly apologized, cheeks tinted red as she joined Naruto in front of Tsunade.

Waving a hand at the door for someone to close it, Sakura was beginning to do so when Naruto rushed by her to tend to the trivial matter himself. Tsunade raised a scrutinizing eyebrow at Sakura's odd behavior, but ignored at as she got down to business, eyes set in a steady glare as she propped her chin atop her hands, elbows settled on the scattered papers.

Clearing her throat, Tsunade began, "Now that Naruto has returned, I was considering allowing you to team up with Kakashi to go and find Sasuke. This will require careful planning around the Akatsuki organization's movements and I don't want either of you involved with any of that; however, I have devised a plan." Her eyes glinted. "Ready?"

Unable to process everything that had just passed through Tsunade's lips, Naruto said, "Yup!"

Knowing Naruto on a personal basis, Tsunade assessed that he didn't follow a single word she spoke and turned expectantly to Sakura, who seemed dazed as she dithered on one knee, mouth slightly agape in a lingering yawn. The female Hokage drummed her fingers on her desk, anger bursting, before shouting, "Are either of you two listening to me?"

"Huh?" Sakura was drawn from her stupor, snapping together. "Oh! S-sorry ma'am!"

Like a godsend, a knock on the door halted Tsunade's impending tirade.

"Lady Tsunade?" Shizune's persistently anxious voice came from outside the door. "Lady Tsunade?"

Tsunade fumed silently, nose crinkling. "Fine! You may enter Shizune!" She turned her glowering gaze upon Naruto and Sakura, suppressing a surfacing growl as Shizune penetrated the doors, balancing armfuls of paper that she struggled to support as she tripped into the room, Tsunade's glare leaving Sakura and Naruto. "What is all of that?"

"More assignments that need to be sorted!" Shizune cheerfully announced.

Rolling her eyes, the irritated blonde targeted Sakura and Naruto with her fixed glare. "As for you two, I'll talk to you about this later; you are dismissed." Nodding, both Sakura and Naruto retreated to the door, but Sakura was stopped as Tsunade added, "And Sakura? Meet me in my office before leaving the medical center, got it? I need to talk to you."

A jolt of unease coursed through Sakura. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

As she left the room, Sakura could feel Tsunade's frustrated gaze delving into her back, piercing through her as if she were trying to see into her concealed heart veiled with sorrow. The last thing Sakura wanted was to be a burden. As Naruto escorted her out of the Hokage's tower, she made feeble attempts at grinning which only resulted in birthing dead ghosts of smiles. Sakura knew that she was falling apart.

She could feel it from the inside out.

Relieved to be away from Tsunade, Sakura strolled down the streets of Konoha, feeling more torn and alone than ever after, asking that Naruto give her some time to reflect on what had been happening lately. As soon as he was gone, her thoughts were submerged in grief, eyes giving way to a miserable shroud. Why had Sasuke abandoned her? The answer came to her like a blow to the head and her entire body went rigid, stalling her.

She was too weak.

Always, she was too weak.

Covering her face to wipe away at the nonexistent tears with her hands, Sakura blindly guided herself to the bench where she had last seen the Uchiha. She walked there many, many times, every day to remind herself of her regrets as an act of self-torture. The despair was inevitable wherever she fled to, people, places, everything and everyone having some connection to her lost beloved who she continued to pine for, though it did her no good.

Sakura slowly sat herself down on the bench, hands glued to her face.

It was cold, so, so cold.

Sniffling, she could feel tears poking at their barricades, urging her to liberate them, although she held them in check as the unbearable weight of sorrowfulness crashed upon her shaking shoulders. She had tried everything to forget about him; anything to ease the heartache.

Therapy sessions, more training, getting together with old friends, finding a boyfriend.

Her sniffles subsided into silence. That's right; she had a boyfriend now, didn't she? Kamizuki Izumo, the proctor disguised as a kid at the Chunin exams; although, he too reminded her of Sasuke; not to mention, when she had re-taken the Chunin exams all she had been able to think about was the composed, refined Uchiha whose quest for power led him directly into the clutches of Orochimaru.

Orochimaru.

Her fingers curled into a fist as she drove her hands harder into her face.

That fucking filth…I hate him…I hate that man so, so much!

A strangled sob died in her throat.

He took Sasuke from me!

Drawing her knees against her writhing chest, Sakura buried her head within the realms of herself. No one ever came by the bench at this time of day; even if they did, she was sure to hear them; but still, she wanted to vanish from the rest of the world, wanted to descend into an oblivion that would never return her to this place filled with pain.

Suicide passed through her mind every so often; at first, it bothered her, but now she was accustomed to the thought and welcomed it with open arms. If there ever came a time when she met Sasuke again and couldn't tame him, her life would end without hesitation.

She knew that all too well.

"Where'd Sakura go?" Ino hollered out to Naruto, who was passing by the Yamanaka flower shop.

Not quite hearing her or the question, Naruto dawdled towards his house, ignoring Ino. The blue-eyed blonde's temper flared and she raced out to stop him, grabbing the collar of his shirt so that it choked him. Naruto released a surprised yelp. "Hey! What's going on?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Idiot. I was asking about Sakura."

Once he was released, Naruto turned around to face Ino, who crossed her arms over her buxom chest and tapped her foot impatiently. Naruto was beginning to explain how Sakura didn't seem to be acting correctly, but fell silent upon seeing the said kunoichi dragging her way through town, heading in the direction of the medical facility.

Following Naruto's gaze, Ino's razor-sharp eyes targeted Sakura in an instant and she raced out to her best friend who she shared a continual rivalry with; though that seemed to lessen after Sasuke's departure. When Ino got close enough to Sakura so that she could clearly make out her expression, she was perturbed by the haunted look overwhelming her friend's eyes. Ino swallowed hard and forced on a giant smile.

"Good morning Billboard Brow!" Ino greeted, compulsory zeal slamming upon Sakura in the form of a hand against her back.

Sakura flinched, head jerking to Ino. The look of surprise drained from her expression immediately. "Oh, hi Pig."

Frowning, Ino demanded, "What's got you so upset? Jeez! You look more like the walking dead than anything else I'll have you know; poor Izumo's going to think you failed that special medical test that you keep whining about because the results are taking forever to complete."

The green-eyed kunoichi shrugged, pink bangs falling into her eyes. "I haven't been thinking about it lately." A forlorn sigh escaped Sakura's lips and she wiped a hand across her eyes as her lips pressed together in a wavering line, voice cracking. "Ino, I don't want to talk right now." Her friend's eyes softened, hand still resting on Sakura's quaking back.

"You can talk to me you know," Ino tried, voice laced with sympathy.

Sakura was beginning to tire of her friend's pity, fake-smiling. "That's okay, I don't need to."

One step turned into an innumerable amount as Sakura strode ahead of Ino, taking rapid steps to flee from her friend's contemptible comfort. She didn't need anyone's false compassion or their overwhelming raids of empathy that were forced upon her. Despite her emotional frailties, she was a ninja more than capable of caring and looking after herself; she wasn't the same worthless genin-trainee that she used to be.

Quickening her pace, Sakura then became anxious to get to the medical facility; perhaps she could hide herself in a book there and learn more about the Akatsuki; theoretically, the more she learned about the Akatsuki, the more she could learn about Orochimaru, who happened to be a former member himself. The closer she got to Orochimaru, the closer, Sakura knew, she would be to Sasuke.

She loved him and would do whatever was necessary to get him back.

Ino watched Sakura take a turn, breaking into a sprint and completely disappearing from view, instinctively knowing that her friend's thoughts were revolving solely around one thing; Uchiha Sasuke. It pained Ino to see Sakura in such a depressed, dangerous condition and she wished there was some way to console her without angering her, but Sakura herself probably wasn't aware of her current mental state; her state of impending insanity.

"What was that all about?" Naruto asked reluctantly, tone sheathed in inquisitiveness.

Pursing her lips together, Ino murmured, "I don't have the faintest idea."

Pulling books from the shelf until there was a looming pile stacked beside her elbow, Sakura read and read, absorbing all sorts of knowledge that she knew might not remain rooted to her mind. She read everything she could find about Orochimaru and his defection from Konoha, anything that was available to the public, but nothing that helped her.

Frustrated, bags under her eyes feeling heavier than ever, Sakura urged herself to keep searching until she fell asleep atop one of the books held loosely between her hands, falling prey to her dreams. A dream surfaced in the depths of her mind, quickly twisting into a reincarnated nightmare.

"I'll do anything for you Sasuke! Just please! PLEASE DON'T GO!"

Her words weren't even enough to make him turn around.

"I'll even help you take revenge! I mean, I'll manage it somehow, so…so please," her voice vanished among her sobs, shrinking as she said anything that she thought might stop him, or even make him pause; anything. "Stay with me…if you can't then…maybe I can go with you?" He remained silent, back all she could see in her blurred vision. She was breaking.

Why didn't he say anything? Why?

Did he really hate her that much?

She was convinced he was through with her, until she heard his calm resonance like a whisper in the wind.

His voice, distant, replied, "You haven't changed…you're still annoying."

Panic coursed through her, realizing that it was the last thing she might hear from his lips as he tilted his head to look at her with a farewell glance. Her heart twinged as if someone was driving a knife through it and stabbing it repeatedly; they should have anyway. She lurched forward, nausea welling up as Sasuke began walking away again.

"Don't you leave me!" she cried, tears flooding down her cheeks. "One more step and I'll scream!"

Her eyes widened as he appeared behind her in an instant, her heart tripping over itself.

"Sakura," he murmured, voice lowering, "Thank you…"

"Sakura…Sakura…Sakura, wake up!"

Meshing her eyelids together, Sakura managed a groan, aroused by someone shaking her shoulder, jarring her from her nap. When Sakura finally recognized the voice belonging to Shizune, her heart leapt up her throat and she went rigid, sitting bolt-upright.

"Ah, what a relief!" Shizune laughed half-heartedly. "You're awake!"

Blinking unbelievingly, Sakura whispered, "How long…how long was I asleep?" She whipped her fluttering stare to the ticking clock which read ten minutes to six; the library would close soon. Bolting from her seat, Sakura began hurriedly loading her arms with books to return them, when Shizune stopped her.

"Whoa Sakura, hold on!" Shizune trapped her arm, taking the books. "I'll take care of these."

"Huh?" Sakura wavered weakly, unwillingly handing the books to Shizune.

"Tsunade-sama sent me to relay a message," Shizune explained. "She wants to see you."

Surprised, Sakura realized that she had forgotten Tsunade's earlier request to see her, looking at Shizune with a bewildered expression. Glancing blankly at her hands, Sakura nodded and started her journey to the Hokage's office, picking up her pace when she got outside, the brisk wind even colder than it had been that morning.

Though she had slept long enough to satisfy a couple nights worth of her usual resting time, Sakura knew that it really didn't compensate for anything; those nightmares left her restless, kept her mind from entering an actual, peaceful sleep. She hurried to see Tsunade, picking up her pace as the wind blew harder, beginning to shriek.

It frightened her and she walked faster.

When Tsunade's door was in view, as she entered the Hokage tower and swerved around through the hallways, Sakura's breath caught in her throat as she deducted what it was Tsunade wanted to talk about; her and Sasuke. Sakura dreaded speaking of him aloud; even Kakashi had plastered taboo onto his name when they met up with Naruto after his two years of training, and since hadn't really heard it.

She didn't want to.

Rapping her knuckles lightly against the door, what started as a faint knock birthed into a slightly louder, concise thud, and Tsunade's voice replied. "Enter!" The command was spoken jadedly and Sakura knew to watch herself; it didn't sound like Tsunade was in the most pleasant of moods and when she wasn't happy, neither was anyone else.

Locking her fingers around the doorknob and prying it open, Sakura allowed herself in, heart drumming with anticipation. "Good evening Tsunade-sama," she greeted, donning a smile so false it made Tsunade sick when she looked up. Sakura promptly dropped her gaze.

"Sakura," Tsunade began, pushing paperwork aside, "we need to talk."

The pink-haired kunoichi nodded sullenly. "I understand."

Leaning back in her chair, Tsunade questioned, "When was the last time you slept?" Sakura opened her lips but Tsunade already knew what was coming and silenced her with a hushed hand. "No, I mean really slept; Sakura, you are a wonderful kunoichi and pupil, but this whole issue pertaining to Uchiha Sasuke," Sakura flinched, "and Orochimaru is ridiculous."

Ridiculous? Sakura's eyes harbored hurt tears.

Tsunade sighed at her reaction. "Look, I know that you're in pain, I know that he means a lot to you and I don't mean to categorize it the way I do, but Sakura, this is destroying you."

"I know."

A jab of remorse made Tsunade shifted in her seat. "Sakura?"

Pressing her eyes shut, Sakura whimpered. "I know…Tsunade-sama, I know." Quivering fervidly, Sakura compressed her fists into balls, heart wrenching against its confinement. "I know more than anyone else what this is doing to me…but I can't stop it! I just…everything reminds me of…of…of him…and there's no way for me to control it!"

Damn it! I don't want to cry! Make the tears go away! Stop!

Moving from her desk, Tsunade stepped over to Sakura, attempting to wrap the girl blossoming into a woman, who was more like a daughter to her than anything, in her embrace. As soon as her arms were closing around the pink-haired girl's shoulders, her shaking abruptly stopped. Sakura wouldn't accept her consolation and tore away.

"Sakura?"

Alone, Sakura chose instead to wrap herself in solitude, refusing to meet Tsunade's worried eyes. "I'm sorry, Tsunade…but I'm not following rules…I'm breaking…I want…I want him."

Exhaling a tired sigh, Tsunade shook her head, murmuring, "Yeah, I know you do." Before Sakura could react, the blond woman reached out and trapped her in her arms, hugging her tightly against her chest. Sakura struggled for a moment, mind screaming at her not to allow Tsunade to waste her time comforting her, but Sakura gave in, listening to her softly spoken words. "You don't have to do this alone."

Sakura gasped against her, eyes welling with a warm wetness threatening to spill over.

Thank you…Tsunade-sama…

But…

One tear glided down her cheek.

I can still feel the pain…

That night, Sakura departed from Tsunade speechless, without a word to speak. Upon arriving home, she found a note messily written in her mother's handwriting explaining that she and her father had business to attend to regarding her uncle and had to leave. The little heart beside her mother's signature wrenched at Sakura's heart, although she said nothing to spite it; she did appreciate those tender messages her mother still left her.

Mom…thank you…

Lowering her gaze to the floor, Sakura hauled her heavy feet weighed down by fatigue up the stairs, climbing though her thoughts bore down upon her. At least when she got upstairs she could go to sleep, or try to. Something inside her begged her not to go to sleep, saying that it was a bad idea and how she ought to take one of her kunai to enter an eternal sleep.

I'm so sick of being a burden…I troubled Naruto, Ino, Shizune, and Tsunade-sama…

Why can't I stop destroying and depressing everyone's lives?

They deserve to be free of me, don't they?

Don't I owe it to them?

Contemplating suicide seemed too casual for her and she regretted thinking about it, realizing that it was just more of her selfish intentions. Everything that happened to her happened because she was a self-centered little girl; why couldn't she be more self-sacrificing like Naruto? She had caused him so much pain and made him miserable.

Absolutely miserable.

Maybe dying isn't such a bad idea.

Crawling into her bed, which she found she had successfully managed to amble to, Sakura threw herself against the mattress, hands falling against her closed eyelids. Tonight was going to be another sleepless night, she could already feel it; could already feel it prodding at her.

"There's my Saku-chan."

Eyes flashing, Sakura threw herself upwards to find Izumo crouching on her windowsill, assumably letting himself in. She dragged her hand across her eyes to reassure herself that any tears she may have cried were erased and was about to ask him to leave when he leapt from the window to her bed, deftly pinning her down on her shoulders. Sakura released a startled cry as his warm, moist lips, hungry with desire, moved around her face.

"I missed you," Izumo breathed, pressing his lips against hers.

Cramming her hands against his chest, Sakura was thrown back to her senses as he began sucking on her lower lip. Damn it! I don't want to have to deal with Izumo right now! He didn't seem to heed her struggle as she meekly pushed against him with her tiny fists; rather, he took it as a challenge and, without preamble, unzipped the front of her shirt.

Sakura went red.

Striving to get out from beneath him, Sakura fought the raid of kisses as they trailed down her neck, Izumo sucking her delicate skin tight against his teeth. A moan ripped its way from her lips as Izumo forced her into making a response, groping her thighs and squeezing hard. She wiggled uncomfortably as his lips moved lower, dipping between her clavicles and making her squirm from the inside out.

She finally found her voice. "I-Izumo!"

Disregarding her helpless plead, Izumo ground his elbows into her arms to keep them from moving, while his hands snuck beneath her chain-mail tank. Sakura threw her head into the pillow, entire body spasming as his cold hands reached up to her heaving breasts, slipping underneath her bra. He fondled her roughly and quickly found her nipple, squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger so tightly that she released a pained gasp.

S-stop!

He kneaded one breast coarsely, lips nipping at her neck while his knee brushed against her concealed womanhood. She began to thrash as his lips moved downwards again, making her dizzy with unwilling apprehension. He took the bottom of her tank and ripped it up to reveal her breasts, cold air stiffening her pink nipples.

Stop! I'm scared! I-I want him to stop!

Sweat edged down the back of Sakura's neck, making her shiver as Izumo took her peak in his mouth.

No! No! This isn't what I want! Stop! Stop! Stop!

She was helpless to resist as he suckled hard, making it hurt like no other pain she had ever experienced. Her legs lifted to kick him off and he easily wrapped them around his waist, ignoring her uncontrollable trembling, as he pulled down his pants and boxers, length rigid with yearning. Everything was happening so fast, too fast; it was like she was seeing in an infra-red haze, halted in a frightened shock, and couldn't escape.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

He bit down harder on her nipple as she managed to slam her hips up against his and she bit back a scream. He was all over her now, hands grabbing the top of her skirt to pull it down, then her leggings; she didn't want this, she didn't want any of this!

Stop! Stop! Stop!

She was saving that special 'privilege' for Sasuke; she wanted Sasuke inside her, not Izumo!

Finally, her voice split from her throat, sending Izumo stumbling backwards with a deadly, shrill shriek. "GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF ME!"

This was the last straw.

Pulling back her fist, Sakura gave her punch everything she had, her pent up anger and frustration leaving her as she slammed her fist into the wall, causing it to crack and nearly make the roof of the house collapse. Sakura was panting, breasts heaving as she clutched them, still sore from his handling. "Get the hell out of my house!"

A shiver passed through Izumo as he whispered her name, "S-Sakura? I'm sorry…I…"

"I said," Sakura's voice lowered, fist tightening. "Get out."

There was no way for Izumo to continue fighting with her, doing as she bid, and making the obvious assumption that they were no longer dating, feeling very foolish and ashamed of his actions. Sakura could feel a burst of relief bubbling up within her. She never really liked Izumo anyways, he was too wanting, too desiring; he always wanted to 'play' with her, though she refused.

She refused because she wanted Sasuke.

If she ever gave herself to anyone else, it would feel like betrayal.

A betrayal of herself.

Pulling her clothes back into place and adjusting her bra, Sakura picked up the broken fragments of wood lying on the floor and shoved them into a corner; she would have to repair the wall before her parents returned. A nauseating, yet hopeful thought suddenly passed through her mind; maybe she would get lucky and the roof would collapse on her in her sleep or something. She laughed bitterly. No, she wasn't quite that lucky.

Closing her window, Sakura tried to sleep with one-eye open that night, but was unsuccessful in falling asleep at all. She felt dirty, stained, defiled; frightened. What if she met Sasuke again and he didn't want her? Her fears and anxieties swirled within her stomach like a consuming vortex and she felt all the strength she managed to summon before drain.

What was she supposed to do now?

"Did you hear that last night?" Tenten whispered to Neji as they passed by the Yamanaka flower shop the following morning, "I heard that Sakura went berserk and nearly killed Izumo yesterday."

Setting potted flowers out for display, Ino caught the name 'Sakura' and immediately got a bad feeling; something was up. As casually as she could, she slinked over to Tenten and Neji, tapping Tenten's shoulder lightly until the brunette turned around. Tenten pulled a disgusted face, suspecting that the nosy blond had overheard something. Ino put on a friendly smile.

"Good morning Tenten," Ino got straight to the point, "I heard you talking about Sakura, what's going on?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "You mean you didn't hear? Sakura totally went nuts on her boyfriend!"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ino interrogated, "Just what do you mean by that? Did they get into a fight, or have a disagreement, or something?" Tenten shrugged and Ino gave her a quick flick of her hand. "It doesn't sound like you have any information on the story."

Tenten grimaced, eyebrow quirked. "Oh really? Then why don't you ask her yourself?"

Ino smirked, lips breaking into a beam to spite Tenten. "I think I will; I prefer to know what I'm talking about."

Watching the two women engage in verbal combat, Neji eventually muttered to Tenten that they were running out of time and had to report in to their teammates. Ino was happy to see Tenten leave as the frustrated kunoichi shot her angry scowls and glowers, though Ino paid little to no attention to them as she continued positioning the flowers.

When she looked up, Sakura was dragging her feet through town.

Heart skipping a beat, Ino noticed her friend's even more desolate than usual expression and left what she was doing to rush over to her, calling her name. "Oi! Sakura, over here!" She knew Sakura could hear her as the kunoichi sadly lifted her head, stared at Ino, and continued. Perplexed, Ino pursued her through the growing crowds of people until she found herself alone with Sakura at that bench on the outskirts of Konoha.

"Sakura? What are you doing out here?" Ino scoffed, putting on a smug smirk.

The pink-haired girl didn't give her the slightest bit of attention.

Narrowing her sapphire orbs, Ino strode over to Sakura and plunked down beside her. "Hey, I was talking to you Billboard Brow; what is your issue lately, I mean come on, seriously?" Her pitch softened after witnessing Sakura flinch and Ino touched her gently. "It's okay to tell people what's going on…I won't tell anyone, you know that."

Sakura's jaw twitched, lips dry. "Izumo tried to…do me last night."

Ino shuddered, remorse compelling her to hug Sakura, but she could tell that the kunoichi didn't want to be in physical contact with anyone for obvious reasons. Ino had nothing to say to improve the situation, waiting for Sakura to say something; waiting was one way of caring, and Ino knew that all too well.

After an agonizing eternity, Sakura's lips quivered to life.

The pink-haired kunoichi spoke, voice low and shaky. "I would do anything for him Ino…anything. I miss him so much; I just want him to come back and be with us…even if he, if he fell in love with you rather than me, I…I would be okay with that…I would prefer that…b-because he would be here and not…not with Orochimaru…I-I…I'm so confused…"

Listening to Sakura whimper, Ino interjected and muttered, "Look, if this is about Sasuke you don't have to worry about me…besides, I don't really like him anymore, 'cause hey, he didn't really give a damn about me and if he was here, he could just kiss my ass! Besides, Sakura, you're gorgeous; you're smart, pretty, kind; and you're always worrying about everyone else."

Sakura stared questioningly at Ino, wondering what her motive was.

Snorting, Ino added, "If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time or my tears on him."

Though she was touched by Ino's 'compassion', Sakura murmured, "I can't help it."

"Why not?" Ino demanded, eyes flashing. "He's hurting you too much! This is going to kill you!"

Sakura's eyes flooded with tears, eyebrows arching as if the answer were obvious. "Because I love him enough to die for him."

Author's Note: Good start? Bad start? Either way, reviews are welcome and I would really appreciate hearing from you; I'm not sure where I want to take this story, but we'll see—thank you for reading!

-Aiko of the Akatsuki