Sorry it took so long. You'd probably kill me with the way the story turned out. Well, can't help it- I was losing hope for this pair (sniff!) so impossible... listen to Ashlee Simpson's 'Little Miss Obsessive' before reading this one, the song should be Sakura's ode to Sasuke.

…

She suddenly sat up a tried searching for sincerity in his eyes. He looked away. The sun rays were adamant, shooting through the blinds so as to make him appear in silhouette, almost dream-like.

"Come," he said as he got up and dressed, "it's almost noon."

Sakura was still in the throes of indecisiveness; torn between what she wants and what is expected of her. She looked at Sasuke, pleading with her eyes to force her, make a decision for her. But Sasuke had his back facing her, making it clear that this is one of those things she must decide on her own.

"Stay… please," she blurted out when all she wanted to say is 'take me with you.'

"You know I can't," he looked at her solemnly, now fully dressed.

"I can't betray Konoha," she declared desperately. There, she said it- the truth. And damn, it hurts to not be able to contest it. But Sasuke surely can, "Sasuke?"

"I see."

"I can't betray Konoha," she repeated, her eyes were pleading 'make me, make me!'

"H-n" he rolled up the blinds on her window so that her room was bathed in bright sunlight. The sun rays have a painful orange tinge in it that Sakura had to close her eyes to block out the pain. The moment her eyes adjusted well to the light, Sasuke was already gone leaving only the torn Akatsuki coat atop her dresser.

"I'm coming with you!" she declared, addressing the open window then slapped herself for her foolishness.

"Fool! Fool! Fool!" she lamented as she crouched in a fetal position on her bed. Try as she might, she can't prevent the onslaught of her tears.

A knock on her door cut short Sakura's antics.

"Mom?"

"Sakura-chan, it's me, Hinata."

Sakura flinched. Should she face Hinata? She hurriedly donned on her shirt and skirt and opened the door quite unabashedly.

Hinata stepped in without looking Sakura in the eyes. Her cheeks were flushed. She was biting her lower lip and pulling at the hem of her sleeves. She walked towards Sakura's dresser and touched the torn Akatsuki coat.

"I know what you're at Hinata," Sakura said quietly. "Still it was only for this morning. He's gone, off to his den. He's never coming back, not until Akatsuki will reject Konoha's treaty again."

"I know," Hinata replied in her child-like voice, barely audible.

"I was drunk," Sakura added hastily.

"I see," Hinata believed the lie, or at least, appeared to be.

"He was, too," Sakura can't help adding.

"See Sakura-chan, the mission the Lady Hokage gave us this morning is to catch Uchiha Sasuke who was rumored to be infiltrating the village-"

"Did you… catch him?" Sakura was unsuccessful in keeping her fear to herself.

"No," Hinata sighed. "I couldn't turn him in, not after what I s… saw in your bathroom. Thank Kami I was the only Hyuuga assigned in that mission."

"Hinata, arigatou," Sakura said with her head bent.

"He's on that bench," Hinata smiled at the sight of Sakura's wide eyes, "at the only trail leading out of Konoha."

"But h-how-Why?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes, he's waiting for you."

That was all Sakura needed. She embraced Hinata and dashed off the door. She ran past the Yamanaka's flower shop, past the noisy shopkeepers, past the Konoha's hospital, past the Chiraku ramen shop, past the ninja academy until she came upon the very same concrete bench where he'd laid her unconscious after she unsuccessfully stop him from leaving years ago.

She sat on the bench as she choked in catching her breath. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't put on her sandals and her feet were bleeding as a result. What is she doing here anyway? It isn't like she still has the brashness of her 12-year old self. She was older now therefore had became more rational. Where's the rationality Tsunade-sama had so instilled in her? Gone with the wind, that's what.

She stood straight and started to walk back to the heart of the village when she heard a twig snapped.

"Sasuke!" she turned and there he was standing beside the bench. She can't see his eyes. His face was in shadows.

"I'm not coming back, not ever," it was his ultimatum.

"Your revenge?" she hated herself for asking.

A pregnant silence ensued before he said, "Haven't you suffered enough in my clutches already?"

"No."

"Sakura," he stepped closer, "you're saying?"

"No it wasn't enough. You deserve happiness Sasuke and much more. Tell me, does your little revenge made you happy?"

"In a way," he looked amused.

"Yeah. In a way," Sakura looked at her bare bleeding feet and wondered if she really loves this man, this arrogant beast of a man.

"Come with me," it was more of a demand than a request.

"Why?" Give me a good reason to come with you, her mind shouted.

"Maybe I'm tired of being alone. Maybe the idea of sharing your life with someone couldn't be that bad," he smirked when he saw hope flickered in her eyes. "Fuck Sakura, you're the best lay I ever had and fuck it if I'm going to let you get away."

"Then it was just the sex," she smiled ruefully.

"It was only the sex, yes" he agreed. It didn't occur to him that he was causing her pain.

"Then I can't come with you," she declared much to his anger. Uchihas never get rejected.

Sasuke teleported to her back and grabbed her towards him by the waist. His impatience had gotten the best of him.

"Don't tell me," he hissed, "you've come all the way to tell me that Sakura. I'm tired playing your games."

"What games?" her stupid questions again.

"Time's up Sakura. Now's the time to play in my field. I don't want to do this but you left me with no choice baby. " No sooner than he said it Sakura felt her body shake with a dizzying sensation.

"Bastard!" She spat out as she felt her chakra abandoning her little by little making her more vulnerable.

Sasuke reached out his long tapered fingers and caressed her pink locks as he swung her to face him. Sakura stared at his swirling red eyes helplessly. Her body was now completely numb that she couldn't move even a single finger. She would have fallen to the ground if not for his arms supporting her. Sasuke mumbled something she couldn't make out for her ears were failing her. She couldn't hear a thing except for her own breathing. And her vision was all blurry and red.

Sasuke then went to the business of closing her eyes, chasing the last morning light she can make out of her red vision.

Haruno Sakura wouldn't want to lose consciousness but Sasuke's genjutsu made it impossible to do so. She only have to open one bloodshot eye to see him smirking down at her. The earth moved. She was completely engulfed by oblivion and was none too happy to succumb to it. The idea that she won't see him again consoled her somewhat.

But by all means, it wasn't over.

With Sasuke, it's not over. Not by a long shot.

...

-Fin-