Prologue: Everything

Troubled by nightmares, Sasuke sat up in bed. Eyes wide open he stared at his hands, but in the darkness he could not see anything. He believed to notice the smell of blood in air. He reached for the bedside lamp and the light flickered sharply. He suppressed the impulse to close his eyes and stared at his hands in disbelief. They were clean. He had been positive that they would be blood-stained. Impatiently, he tossed the blanket aside and rose. It had now been two weeks since he had returned victoriously from the battle, and nevertheless these dreams still haunted him every night.

The memory of the fierce fight against Itachi, which he had won in the end, haunted him. He had always dreamt about this moment. Still, now that he had reached the goal of his dreams, he felt only empty. There was no feeling of satisfaction like he had expected there would be. Not even a kind of relief. Only this emptiness.

And he could not get rid of the pictures in his head. The last minutes of his brother and the way he had tried to explain the murders briefly before his death. I did it so that we could be free, Sasuke! They hated me, and they were afraid you already! Because we were too strong. I wanted to free us!

His words had only been lies, or at least that's what Sasuke had tried to tell himself over and over. Nevertheless, there was a gnawing voice in the back of his head, always asking itself whether or not Itachi had spoken the truth after all. He would never find out.

He left his small apartment clad only in his black pants. The night air was cool, but he did not mind at all.

The bandages around his head bothered him. For months he had been without the forehead protector of Konoha, and now he was no more accustomed to the feeling of having something tied around his head. Actually, he should have remained in bed. Tsunade had taken care of him after the fight; otherwise he would have probably died from his injuries. Not that the thought worried him. Now that he had achieved his goal, his life had no more meaning anyway.

Some light shone down on him and he raised his head. The clouds had divided for one moment and the moon seemed radiating brightly by the sky. Sasuke sighed quietly. Why do I feel so empty? He had the impression to be able to feel nothing at all any more. He could enjoy neither the beauty of this night nor the peacefulness of the village which he called home.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He turned around. "Sakura?" He was surprised to see her at such a late time. It seemed as if she had been on the way to his place. "You were going to see me?" he asked.

She blushed slightly and nodded. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

He nodded, more to himself. Now he remembered. During the first week, when he had lain in bed recovering from the wounds of the fight, she had often been there. Whenever he had awoken from the terrifying dreams, Sakura had been there, replacing the wet cloth on his forehead, or just sleeping on a chair next to his bed. He searched his heart for a feeling of warmth or gratitude, but there was just nothing.

"You should not be out here in the cold, Sasuke-kun," she said tenderly and approached him. "I'll bring you home, before you catch a cold. Tsunade said your body is still weak."

He allowed her to take his hand and lead him back to his apartment. For no particular reason, he found himself thinking back to the day when they had met Kakashi and he had asked them about their dreams. I don't know whether you could call it a dream, he had answered at the time. But I must kill a certain man. And rebuild my clan.

He inhaled sharply. Perhaps that was it. The resurrection of the clan... maybe then his feelings would return.

Sakura opened the door to his apartment and switched on the light. He deliberately closed the door, while she had already disappeared into the kitchen. "I'll make you some tea, Sasuke-kun," she called out merrily. She had always been by his side. When Kakashi and Naruto had betrayed him and tried to stop him from taking his revenge, only she had been there for him. He remembered what she had said that day when he had attempted to leave with the four sound-nin.

I love you with all my heart, Sasuke! Please, stay with me! And if you must go, then take me with you, I will try to help you in any way I can. I beg you, Sasuke. I... I would do everything for you!!

He went into the kitchen, an idea forming itself in his head. "Sakura," he said. She turned around and smiled sweetly at him. She was always smiling when he was around. For whom was she playing the cheerful girl? For him?

"Sasuke-kun! Aren't you cold?" she exclaimed. "Wait, I'll get you something to wear." She left the room and he looked over to the stove, where she had prepared water for the tea. She returned quickly, with a shirt over her arm. He did not protest when she flung it around his shoulders with a caring smile.

"Sakura..." he began, but she had turned back to the stove and was preparing two cups. "Sakura, do you remember what you said to me back then?"

Surprised, she turned her head. "What do you mean, Sasuke-kun? When did I say what?"

"When I left the village to go with the sound-nin.", he explained patiently. It was starting to annoy him that she would rather concentrate on the cups of tea than on what he was saying. "Back then you said that you would do everything for me."

She stopped and said, without turning around, "That was the truth."

"Do you still feel that way?" he asked seriously. She picked up a cup and he lost his patience. Carefully he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around so she was facing him. His shirt slipped from his shoulders. She looked at him in surprise. "I have a request, Sakura."

"What is it?" Her eyes became large. She could see in his eyes how serious he was about this.

He stared into her eyes and spoke firmly: "Marry me, Sakura." The cup fell to the floor with a crash and broke into pieces.

...tbc...

This story is dedicated to Dr. Breifs Cat who inspired me with a beautiful fic to write one of my own.