DISCLAIMER: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and all that jazz.
Also, this is set when they're all a little older: if that's not obvious. Also, horrible preview image. I don't know what else to do...

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“You’ll need to stay here for a while,” Sakura told him. Sasuke jerked out of his thoughts. No. He couldn’t stay – work had to be done. He had no time for a hospital stay. Every day he didn’t fight or train was a day when Itachi got stronger.
“No,” he answered flatly, sitting up on his hospital bed. The IV in his arm pulled at his skin.
“You have a head injury, and it could be serious,” Sakura informed him, crossing her arms stubbornly. “You need to stay for observation.”
“No,” he said again, reaching to pull the needle out of his arm. She grabbed his wrist, and was surprised at his lack of warmth. In a way, it was funny. He was cold inside and out.
“If you don’t stay, I will have you drugged and restrained,” she warmed him, meeting his eyes squarely. Soon, he looked away. Seven years had changed her – she was not the weak damsel-in-distress he once knew. A small part of him screamed to run, that he was faster, that he could get away. Another said that it was just for now. He’d easily be able to escape later.
“Fine.” Standing, Sasuke yanked the needle out of his skin, ignoring the blood that dribbled down his arm. “I can walk myself up there.” Sakura said nothing, only watched him exit the examining room.
He’d come in a few minutes ago, fresh from an ANBU mission. Head injury, various cuts, bruises. The usual, but nothing immediately serious. Nobody ever believed her when she said that head injuries could be serious. The consequences could be delayed until it was too late, and people didn’t even realize what happened to them. At least he’d believe her for now. She wasn’t above setting a guard on his room, though.

A few minutes later, Sakura went upstairs to check that he had been settled in. The others on his squad hadn’t been severely wounded either. They’d all already been patched up and checked out. Alone, Sasuke sat on the clean-cut bed in the room, a dark spot against the clean white of the bland sheets and walls. The washed-out light coming in through the thin curtains made him look younger and more vulnerable. Sakura smiled humorlessly. He had never been vulnerable. Maturity had given her new knowledge, and informed her that the Sasuke she loved had never existed. He’d just been a pretty face.
The Sasuke she had loved was still handsome, yes, but she knew now that love was something different. She had given it up as pointless. He would never accept her affections, and she had accepted that. Now they were just teammates, and they both were okay with that. There were different types of love, and the way she felt for him had never been the love she’d dreamed of as a girl. She knew that for certain now.
He didn’t turn when she stepped through the door; he just continued to gaze out the window bathed in pale light. “How are you?” she asked quietly.
“How do you think?” he snapped back.
“You need to understand that it’s for the best. Otherwise, something could happen, and we’d lose you.” She answered his fire with her own ice.
Sasuke didn’t answer her. Crossing the room, she sat down beside him on the bed, feeling his weight tilt towards hers. “It’s not just the village, either. I wouldn’t want something to happen to you,” she continued, trying to get him to be a little more accepting.
“I’m more likely to die on a mission anyways,” he responded in a monotone. “There still aren’t enough med-nins. ANBU die every day. We’re lucky we ever get to the hospitals in time.”
“Be grateful for what you get. Med-nins are stretched thin as it is.”
“I know.”
“I have to go,” Sakura finally said, standing. She patted his shoulder, wishing there was something she could do for the cold that nestled inside him. The sunlight on his face could do nothing to warm his spirit. As she moved to leave, a jounin came in through the door. Sasuke watched the newcomer in wordless acknowledgment. Sakura was smarter than he would have thought about this.
“I’ll check with you again later.”
As Sakura shut the door, she heard Sasuke respond blandly, “Don’t bother.”

Before leaving after her shift, Sakura went up to visit Sasuke again. Filching a few spare flowers from a get-well vase at the front desk, she found a small glass jar and brought it with her to his room. The jounin inside moved out silently as she moved in, a well-trained guard. He locked the door behind him, protocol on a guarded room. It could be unlocked from the outside only, and only upon the signal from within. Sakura nodded at him, busy thinking. She hoped that Sasuke would have grown more accepting of his situation, although she knew it was likely that he had not. Of course, he’d had all day to adapt to spending his time in silence, waiting to be released from his hospital prison.
As she set her flower on the table inside, she was struck by how pathetic it looked: a bundle of random flowers jammed in a jar. Turning slightly, she watched Sasuke carefully out of the corner of her eye. “You never saw the flowers I brought you during the chuunin exams,” she explained, keeping her attention on the spot of color in the room. It seemed as if the light was dimmer, just by the merit of Sasuke’s presence.
The exams had been so long ago, and it seemed even longer now. She’d grown and matured, so had Sasuke. It seemed almost idiotic to bring him flowers, no matter what it signified. To him, it was just an empty gesture.
“Thank you.”
Sakura looked up, surprised, and studied Sasuke’s expression. A simple act like hers would usually not even warrant a glance, much less a comment.
“You’re welcome. I’ve noticed flowers usually make people feel better,” she answered, flushing a little. They sat in silence. She was unwilling to break it, and now felt dumber than ever. Why had she even bothered?
Finally, Sasuke spoke. “I miss being a team.”
She said nothing. What could she say? He didn’t look at her, was lost in his own thoughts. How could he tell her these things? How could he tell her that they made him feel safe – safe from his brother, safe from the ghosts of his family, safe from himself and the madness he feared. She, Naruto, and Kakashi were islands of peace and reason in a world flooded with insanity.
“I miss you,” he finally admitted. Turning to look at her, his eyes met Sakura’s. The lightness of her eyes matched the darkness in his own. He found it hard not to smile when she did.
She crossed the room to sit next to him again, leaning against him. “I miss you too,” she told him. “I have all these memories, and sometimes I can’t stand it.” Shifting, she wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Sasuke felt her warmth, felt her curled up next to him. He remembered the last time she’d embraced him. Had it been that long ago, in the forest when the madness had changed him forever? When he could have killed without remorse, and continued to do so heartlessly? When he could have been just like Itachi?
He let her hold him for a moment more, knowing that it wasn’t like him. It was another sort of madness, he felt. A good sort. Turning to look at her, he noticed that tears brimmed in her eyes. She had pain as well, pain of her own. Sasuke bent his head, touching his lips to her forehead. He heard her soft gasp, and drew back.
What was he doing? Was this the madness he felt? If so, what was it? He’d heard of love before, had felt it once, but it had been so long, he couldn’t be sure. Did it matter? He smiled softly. It had been a while since his last genuine smile.
“You won’t lose me,” he assured her, while calming himself as well. He couldn’t die before his goal was accomplished, but even if he did, he’d finish his objective in hell. “I’ll be here, if you’ll do your best to patch me up.”
Sakura looked up at him, smiling. “I promise I will.” He tilted his head, resting his cheek against her hair. The delicate scent of her filled his nose, and he was happy to stay there. Matching her pose, he tucked one arm around Sakura and held her close.
The last time he’d been held like this, he was very young. His mother had still been alive. She had taken him in her lap, reassured him that he was loved. Sakura shifted, turning to face him directly, almost sitting in his lap. She lay her head against his chest, feeling the solidity of him. He still felt cold to her, but she was assured by the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear.
The Sasuke she had once loved had never existed, but perhaps there was a different side to him, one that she could love now. And it was hard to resist. He needed support, he needed warmth, he needed her, it seemed. Gently, she pulled back from him, reluctantly. He looked down at her, just as she rose up to brush his lips with her own.
He blinked at her as she pulled away, turning her eyes downward as she flushed lightly. “Sorry,” she whispered, suddenly embarassed. Why did she do these things? She’d had a crush on him since she was young, and had grown out of it. And now things were back to this. She felt like an idiot.
Cold fingers touched her chin and turned her face back towards him. “Don’t be,” he answered, kissing her again. He was surprised at his own eagerness. Why her? He’d known Sakura for years now, and had known that she had a crush on him. He’d never even glanced at her, and now, seven years later, here he was. He needed her more than he’d ever thought he would, a warming light in the icy cold that was his life.
Unbelieving, she was almost stunned when his lips brushed over hers. He couldn’t feel the same way she did, could he? For the longest time, he’d seemed incapable of emotion, of any feeling at all. But there was no way to be sure.
She was almost positive everyone could feel lust; Jiraiya and Ebisu were examples of that. Sasuke couldn’t be immune to that, of course. Love just seemed to be a problem for him; after his family’s brutal murder, he’d lost all ability to care.
Was it worth the chance? Was it love, or lust? Her side was love…probably. But Sasuke was as unreadable as ever. His tongue slid into her mouth, probing gently and distracting her from her thoughts. There was almost no question.
She returned his kiss, curling her arms around him and drawing herself closer to him. Sasuke reached up, tangling his fingers in her hair as he slid his lips down her neck. Delicate hands slid up underneath his shirt, touching the firm muscles of his stomach. As his mouth moved down to her collarbone, Sakura ran her own tongue over his ear, nibbling gently on the top of it.
Sasuke’s fingers gently teased at the zipper on the front of her shirt, wanting to move lower. She made a questioning noise, and when he drew back slightly, Sakura gently removed his shirt, exposing his muscles. Leaning into him again, she moved her lips softly up his chest, working up to his neck, and to his lips once more.
Between them, his hands worked at her zipper, finally sliding it down with an almost noiseless sound. She shrugged her shoulders, and the cloth fell away, exposing her almost-naked body. Sakura smiled blissfully at him, green eyes light as she met his.
In a way, it seemed odd to be moving so fast. She’d just kissed him for the first time, after all. However, it felt as if she’d known him forever. In some ways, she had. They were teammates first, then just friends, and now…lovers? It may have been fast, but it felt right. He reached around her once more, pressing her chest against his. As his fingers fumbled with the clasp of her bra, she smiled. Perfect timing for things like this; the door was even locked. Carefully, she lay down on the narrow hospital bed, drawing him with her. Necessity required that they stay close together, although neither had a problem with it.
After what seemed like forever, Sasuke finally slid the bra off of her. Still smiling, she curled around so he was on top of her and carefully straddling her hips. Only a few fragile barriers between them remained. They were taken care of in short order, to the satisfaction of both.


Sakura stayed with him through the night, declining to go home, and finally falling asleep in his arms. The next morning when she woke, she lay there for a moment, resting her head on his chest. She felt comfortable there, and for a change, he seemed warm.
The clock on the wall informed her that her day would have to start soon, but she didn’t want to move. She had a lot of thinking to do. What had happened last night? It had seemed right, but again, was it love or lust? To tell the truth, it was a cliched question. She didn’t know why she bothered. What happened had happened.
Personally, she wasn’t sure if she loved him. She wouldn’t know; she’d never been in love before. At least, she didn’t think so. Sasuke mumbled something in his sleep and turned, tightening his grip on her.
She smiled as she reluctantly climbed out of bed. For now, that would have to be enough. Dressing quickly and feeling a little embarassed, she stepped into the small bathroom and adjusted her hair. Professional…she snorted as she walked back into the room. Leaning over, she kissed him gently on the forehead before she left.
Sakura left the discharge order with the ward nurse. He could go home today; there wouldn’t be any lasting effects from his head injury. Other effects, however, could last a while. Still feeling a little confused, she headed back to the emergency room to start the work day. Behind her, Sasuke continued to sleep.

I’ll still be here, as long as you promise me that you won’t leave.