Saving Grace

Summary: There was no way Sakura could be dying. Not before he could tell her how sorry he was. Not before he could tell her that she was his saving grace. -Implied SasuSaku- Two-shot, whoo!

Almost…

The group of nine is silent as they move towards the battlefield. Sasuke Uchiha has no problem with the silence; it means everything is going well and no one is in trouble. No one will catch them, as everyone is at the battlefield. It was a straight shot from where they had started to the battlefield.

A few more minutes now…

Sasuke had been ignoring a voice in his head ever since they left. Once Karin had showed up, and he apologized, the voice showed up in his mind, pushing him. Sasuke didn't want to admit it, but the voice that kept nagging him was right.

He needed to apologize to everyone. Not just those he had hurt (Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura), but everyone he had known before he left. He may not like all of them, but it was something he absolutely had to do.

If only the guilt of all he had done wasn't weighing so heavily on his shoulders at the moment. It was making him nervous to apologize. He was worried he would do something wrong and make everyone hate him even more.

As they got closer, the voice in Sasuke's head got louder and more annoying. The nagging was becoming too much to bear with them nearing the battlefield.

'You need to apologize to everyone! Especially Sakura! All she did was freaking love you and you nearly killed her!'

Just shut up already.

He clenched his fists as he saw the Fourth Hokage break in front, obviously sensing something wrong and going to protect whoever it was that needed help.

Probably Naruto.

A few inches more, and they were finally at the battlefield, shocking all who were there. Those that recognized Sasuke and Orochimaru nearly for them, believing Madara and Obito had more accomplices, until they blocked off an attack from the Ten-tails toward an entire fleet of shinobi.

"Reinforcements! We have reinforcements!"

Not many people looked to who the reinforcements were, attempting to keep the Ten-tails back and on its toes, obviously having trouble.

Sasuke doesn't even have to call for the ex-Taka members to begin helping. Suigetsu has started pushing back with his sword, with Juugo doing the same with his curse mark. It barely registers in Sasuke's mind that the First Hokage has gone for Madara, while the Second and Third are busy helping.

"Karin!"

She doesn't even get away to try and help before Sasuke yells at her. "What?!"

"I need you to find some people for me."

It takes mere seconds for Karin to find them, and Sasuke is off to where the Fourth had gone. His nervousness about apologize is long gone, and has turned into anxiousness. Karin said that one of the chakra signatures was weak, and getting weaker by the second.

All he could do was hope and pray Karin mixed Sakura up with someone else. Mistakes happen, even to pros, right?

There was no way Sakura could be dying. Not before he could tell her how sorry he was. Not before he could tell her that she was his saving grace.

The guilt began eating at him again. Why didn't he say this to her when they were twelve? Why did he push her away, in an attempt to protect her? Why didn't he just accept her as someone he cared for?

Why didn't I just stay? We wouldn't even be in this fricking war if I had stayed!

Guilt just loved to attack him at the worst time possible.

"Sakura, Naruto!"

Sasuke barely made it before another one of the Ten-tails attacks hit them, helping the Fourth to block it before his ex-teammates were hurt or killed by it.

Naruto and Sakura stared with wide eyes, Naruto's jaw dropping. They looked at each other, before looking back at Sasuke, absolutely shocked he had shown up.

"Sasuke!"

"Sasuke-kun…"

"Before either of you say anything else, I have to say something!"

Sakura and Naruto shut up, watching Sasuke to see if he would even turn around and look at them.

"I'm sorry for everything."

It was quiet, minus the sounds of the Ten-tails attacking and people yelling for medic nins, before Naruto smirked.

"Hehe… we'll deal with that later, buddy! For now, let's take out this freaking beast, all right?"

A smirked graced Sasuke's face as well.

"You got it."

Sakura watched for a moment, looking nervous, before she gave a bitter smile. "Sasuke-kun-"

"I want to talk to you back at the village, Sakura."

"...All right."

Not another word as said, as Naruto, Sasuke, and Minato pushed further into the battle, Sakura watching and following along as best she could without getting herself killed so she could heal them if need be.

I do hope you mean it, Sasuke-kun…

Author's Note: ALL MY HOPES, GUYS.

ALL MY HOPES.
I want the next chapter NOW, because I want to see Sasuke, I want him to apologize to Naruto and Sakura, I want everything to be all good again. D:
But we must suffer until next Wednesday. hurm. :/

Well, I'll post the second part tomorrow. Please enjoy!