-Somewhere in the forest-

She stopped running. She placed her right hand on the tree nearby to support her small weight in order to prevent the lost of her consciousness. Her left hand travelled to her once big forehead on its own. She thought she was going crazy: she did still love Sasuke, but she was never before distracted that much on a mission, especially not on the S-ranked solo missions.

Sakura hoped she was wrong. She wanted to be wrong. She so desperately wanted her feeling to be far away from truth. As much as she needed him, she did not want to feel him. And she felt him as he was so close.

"Sasuke"

She couldn't deny the obvious truth anymore. He was there, for a few minutes now. She also knew he was fully aware of her presence too. She felt his eyes traveling on her feminine, developed body. She felt his scent entering her nostrils and completely blurring her mind.

She heard a very silent but so familiar "Hn". His voice changed so much. So much deeper, but not husky, somewhat harsh and uninterested. Stoic, as the Uchiha himself.

She sensed his presence suddenly moving. She knew exactly what's going to happen next. She stayed calm, her figure unmoving. In a blink of an eye he appeared behind her.

'So close' was the thought that disturbed her mind all over again. She could feel his warmth, but his chakra was cold. Sakura expected the exact same thing. She imagined small and unnoticing details in his appearance all the time. Sasuke Uchiha never left her mind for even once in these past 9 years.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice demanding for an answer.

"Mission." Her hands dropped and swayed a little next to her rounded hips.

With only one quick movement of his left hand he pinned her to the tree next to them. She let out a silent moan of pain as her back hardly hit the tree. He held her few inches above the ground, strongly gripping around her neck.

"I could kill you easily…" he silently whispered starring right into her emerald orbs. No fear. He was surprised.

"Go ahead." Her tone monotone. She knew this was going to happen, it was just the matter of the time.

"Shouldn't you be afraid?" he couldn't keep himself from asking. In a few minutes she'll be dead anyway, so nobody will ever find out that the great Sasuke Uchiha couldn't resist his curiosity.

"No. My love gives me strength." She answered boldly but still looking into the ground fighting for some breath. She felt his grip on her neck slowly relaxing and then again getting stronger. She let another silent moan.

She annoyed him more than ever. Why wasn't she afraid? And why is she responding him that way? Nobody talks to an Uchiha like that. Why is she acting so brave now of all times she had a chance to show her strength?

"You're weak." He sounded determined. But inside he, himself, wasn't convinced in that lie either.

"Bu-ut still stronge-er than you-u." she hissed back. It was her last chance to show him her love. To prove him her love was honest and real. And the most important, it's still present in her heart. Probably always will be.

He gripped her neck stronger once again. 'How does she dare?' The weakest of them all. That was ironic.

"Fight me like a man, Uchiha!" she hissed louder. And for the first time, she looked him in the eyes and immediately lost in the space of onyx.

He felt she mocked his male pride. He released her and hit the tree right next to her face making a deep crack in it. And he wasn't even using chakra.

Her eyes dropped to the ground again as she spoke.

"I don't want to fight"

She whispered. In that moment he understood she tricked him. It was just a trick to release her. He was mad, but also somewhat more convinced in her strength. Maybe she wasn't that weak as he thought. Just maybe.

His hand went again in the direction of her neck, but this time Sakura's hand stopped him. She easily, but strongly caught his wrist and placed his palm into hers. She led their hands next to their bodies.

Haruno Sakura was holding Uchiha Sasuke as if they were in a relationship. She never touched him in this manner ever before, it was like a dream come true.

Sasuke was surprised, he stayed silent.

"I love you."

She whispered again, this time starring right into his eyes. He stared back. Sasuke thought they got over that story long time ago. It seems nothing has changed since then. But this time he didn't want to tell her she was annoying. This time he'll make it different: he'll make her understand that she's being delusional. It is all mistake-she has never loved him. Stupid fangirl.

"Why? Why do you love me so much after all I did to you, Naruto, Konoha…?" his smirk appeared. He thought he has already won this fight. Her life will be over in a matter of second.

"Why do you ask me? It wasn't me who picked you" she answered not paying attention to his smirk. She took his other hand and placed it on her chest.

"Ask my heart."

And for the first time in his life Sasuke Uchiha was left speechless.

"Do you really think I would destroy my whole life just because of some silly crush as you call it?"

"You think loving me destroys lives?" he asked and it was supposed to be some regret heard in that question. But there wasn't any.

"No. Your refusing to receive someone's love destroys lives. You're too selfish." She almost smiled mentally.

He pinned her to the tree once again, this time holding a kunai against her neck, ready to end the life of the greatest kunoichi of all times in just one cut.

"Any last words?" he asked sarcastically.

"Can I have one last wish instead?"

"Hn. Whatever."

"Kiss me."

"…" his eyes widened. He expected anything but that.

"You heard me. Kiss me. Nobody will know."

Perhaps she had some weird, twisted point. He struggled with his decision for about minute longer. He finally decided he's going to do it. It can't hurt.

He slowly leaned in, getting closer and closer to her rosy lips. He stopped for about a second when their noses touched. He slowly closed his eyes remembering her glowing green, green eyes as the last sight before he shut his eyes and all became dark. The very next second he felt a slight touch on his own lips. Her lips were warm.

Her hands rested on his strong chest. It seemed as she gave in that kiss, but she didn't. She didn't respond to his kiss. She let him kiss her.

He kissed her once as if smooching her silently and gently. Then he completely gave in and begun kissing her more sensually, more passionately. But she still wasn't responding to his act.

After some time he backed off. His wet lips felt the cold wind brush against them and just for a second he missed the feeling of Sakura's lips on his own, but he quickly brushed off that thought.

"Why didn't you kiss me?" he still wanted to know one last thing before he kills her.

"I wanted you to kiss me. To feel like you love and want me the way I loved and wanted you all these years. At least once. Before I die."

She blinked letting one small tear escape the edges of her happiness-filled eyes. He swallowed hard.

"Now, you may kill me." She finally spoke as she closed her eyes ready for what's coming.

Nothing. Perhaps he was thinking how to end her dear life.

Still nothing. Perhaps he gave up. No, that's not the Sasuke we know.

And still nothing. She opened her eyes only to find him looking into the ground, his eyes, she noticed, a bit teary. Maybe she saw wrong. Maybe she only wished she saw his eyes teary.

But she didn't. She saw everything: from sorrow, to regret, to anger, and finally love. Huge mix of emotions was noticeable in his onyx eyes. They flashed crimson red for a second.

He took her hand in his palm, and looked right into the pupils of her wonderful eyes.

"Take me home."

.:FIN:.

I hope it was good, I worked really hard. Please let me know, will you?

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With all my desire to stay awake even though a second….

Tiana-chan ^^