SasuSaku: One and Only

Chapter 9: Reflection on the Past

Naruto noticed she was trying to recall what had happened... In a panic he broke the silence and snapped the pinkette back to the present... "Hey Sakura-chan, are you hungry? Really, I will go get you something... You should rest and not strain your mind too much... They said that if you did hit your head your memories may be all jumbled up and..."

She could hear the worry and trembling in his voice as if he was hiding something from her... She decided to activate her Byakugou Seal to try to help focus her mind...

Naruto immediately noticed the seal on her head forming and yelled out... "No Sakura-chan, you don't want to do tha...!"

It was too late... In that moment her mind became crystal clear... She remembered... That huge surge of chakra she felt... It was a familiar feeling she thought she felt a week earlier... And it wasn't just any chakra... In her head she tried to reason with herself that it wasn't true... But the more she fought the thoughts, the more they became reality... She remembered looking up at the figure again and noticed that the purple haze surrounding them wasn't just a haze, it was a particular jutsu that she was all too familiar with... There was only one person alive that could use that jutsu... It was Susanoo... He had returned... And at the worst time ever... Tears began to flow from her eyes... She called out... "Sasuke-kun...?"  She looked up again and saw one Sharingan eye looking down at her...   Then she knew what he was about to do...  "Why...?" But before she could say anything else, everything went black...

The pinkette came back to reality as the tears were flowing down her face... The realization that he had returned and put her under a Genjutsu sank in... Naruto gave her a sad look as he already knew the raven had returned... She stood to her feet and cried out... "I can't believe he did it again... How could he...? That is why I spent countless hours studying Genjutsu and ways to counteract it! He is never going to change, is he...? Poor, Sad, Pathetic Sakura waiting four years for him to return... and for what? Thinking he would change? Thinking he was the same 12 year old boy that was so full of life? For him to do this to me again, over and over? He really is broken and will never be the same! I can't do this anymore...Naruto!"

As he reached his hand out to grab her, it was too late... She had already ran out the door... He whispered under his breath..."You really did it now, Teme... Why do you always push her away and always end up making her cry? Maybe that's what you want... To be alone... Forever..." He sighed and turned to walk out the door. He had to find the raven and let him know... He knew just where he would be too... The training grounds...

On his way to the training grounds, just as he passes the Hokage Tower he sees Kakashi. He calls out to him... Before the copy ninja can get away, Naruto corners him and called him out for not returning the other night...

"Kakashi-Sensei, you promised you would return to the restaurant and you didn't. You missed our big announcement! Reading Itcha-Itcha Paradise is not an excus..."

Kakashi cut him off, "Naruto you were the last person in the village to find out Hinata is pregnant..."

Naruto's anger dissipated and the features on his face softened... He gave a nervous laugh and said.. "Well you still lied... Its because Teme returned that night, isn't it? I thought I felt his chakra for a split second... That's when I noticed Sakura looking at me and caught you walking towards the door... Why didn't you tell me he returned? He's my best friend and I was so upset he wasn't there for the greatest night of my life..."

Kakashi just looked to the ground as he knew how important it was to keep Sasuke's return a secret... He wanted nothing more than to have a Team 7 reunion on the day the knucklehead has been dreaming about his since he was a little kid... But since he is the Hokage, the safety of the village is his # 1 priority... He didn't know the circumstances of the ravens return but knew it had to be important for him to show up in person...