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People who are Important: Book Two	By : Morales89 Category: Naruto > General Views: 1260 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Tv tokyo. This is a purely fanwritten work, with which I make no money, and write only for the pleasure of myself and my readers.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Chapter 8
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"Sakura…I need to talk to you…"
Green eyes stared at him curiously as the girl who owned them stood there in a baffled silence. Right now…her face was completely unguarded. He'd felt her hesitate at the door before coming in. That alone let him know that she was ready for this. Whether he was ready or not he was still unsure of, but it had to be now. By the end of this week his condition would turn critical. No one, not even the Hokage, could tell him what that meant. No one knew. Sasuke could become really sick, he could become fully paralyzed…or he could fall into a comatose state. This could be his last chance to fix things with her. It had to be now.
"Gomen-nasai…honto gomen-nasai…(I'm sorry…I'm really sorry)," the Uchiha said in a quiet, just slightly less monotonous tone than usual. She didn't respond.
"For everything…" he trailed off. Onyx locked with green and held tight.
She continued to stare at him, but in a more skeptical…calculating way. It was as if she were measuring up his trustworthiness. Those bright jade eyes seemed to search the depths of his soul for a reason to disbelieve what he'd just said. In reaction, Sasuke allowed some of the outward barriers to fall so she could read him a little better. It was shocking…how much he wanted her to believe him in that moment. It was shocking…how much he wanted her to forgive him. For everything….for leaving her; for abandoning her in the middle of the night on a cold park bench, and for trying to hurt her during her determined chase to bring him back.
Those once expressive green eyes became guarded again, and his stomach sank. She'd learned to control her emotions. Haruno Sakura…the girl who wore her feelings pinned to her broad forehead, had learned to disguise, and hide those strong feelings very well in the time he hadn't seen her. Sasuke tried to read past the blank stare. After failing, he looked to a different non-verbal cue. Her posture was rigidly straight. He could see her hands trembling just a little bit. He couldn't decode the emotion she was feeling. He couldn't recognize it. He didn't have the ability. Emotions were so foreign to him now, they seemed almost alien. The powerful ones that were washing over him in that moment were more frightening than any opponent he'd ever faced in battle.
"I forgive you…Sasuke-kun…" a very soft, almost inaudible, and slightly frightened version of Sakura's voice said.
He snapped out of his thoughts immediately. His coal black eyes darted to her face to take in the utterly shocked expression that graced pretty features. Sakura seemed as shocked by her words as he was. Had he heard her right? Did she just forgive him? Did those words really come out of her mouth? He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve her to be so forgiving…to be such a good friend after the shit he'd put her and Naruto through. But he would take it. He would take her forgiveness happily. 'Is that selfish?' he wondered.
"I'll forgive you Sasuke-kun…" she started again. Sasuke felt his stomach plummet again because he could hear the unspoken (But..) that hung in the thick silence.
"But.." 'There it goes,' he thought, "…I'll never forget."
"I could never forget what it felt like to have loved you so much, and then have to watch you walk out of my life…" her voice trembled slightly.
"Sakura…"
"No! Let me finish!" she interrupted. The Uchiha snapped his mouth shut.
"I don't now what to think. I want to trust you, but I'm scared. I'm going to be completely honest with you Sasuke-kun…" green eyes held his determinedly with a fierce look in their depths.
"I never stopped loving you…not even for a minute!" a hand slapped over her mouth and her eyes grew to the size of saucers. Sasuke's heart leapt against his chest as if it meant to jump out and hug her. Then…her tears started to fall…
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Akito Complex
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"Honestly Shia…how many times do we have to tell you not to over do it? Do you want to miscarry?" Akito Tadashi, head of the elder council, asked with a scowl.
"Akito-sama that is hardly appropriate!" Sabaku no Temari snapped, glaring at the old man.
"I'm only saying what you're all thinking. Despite what Shia-sama seems to believe, I DO care about her quite a lot, and am only looking out for her better interests," the Council Head said. Shia threw him an apologetic look.
"I know you do Tadashi-sama. I'm sorry. I just want him to get better. I've never been this close to loosing a patient before. If he dies…I don't know…and Sakura-chan…" she trailed off, tears escaping her eyes.
"Don't cry. It'll be okay Shia-chan. You're only stressing yourself out more. You're supposed to be resting," Temari said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. The pregnant girl took a few short breaths to calm herself.
"I'm sorry. You're right. I'm going to sleep for a little while. Temari-chan…could you take this scroll to the Hokage? It's urgent," she asked, turning her navy blue eyes on her sister-in-law. The eldest Sabaku smiled at her.
"Of course, now get some rest. The Lazy Bum can handle Senji-chan while I take care of this," Temari said. Shia smiled and allowed herself to be tucked into the bed.
"Keiko..make sure there is something prepared for Shia-sama to eat when she awakens. According to her patient, he didn't see her eat all day," Tadashi said sending a stern look at the young Clan Head in the bed. Shia glared, but cuddled into her blankets anyway and closed her eyes to sleep. Temari walked out into the hallway to see Shikamaru looking distressed and concerned. He looked at her as if she were his savior but she just laughed.
"I've got to go deliver this to the Hokage," She said, bursting into hysterical laughter as Senji broke something behind him.
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Naruto & Hinata
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"Okay…I'm gonna cover your eyes Hinata-chan. No peeking…and that means the Byakugan too. I'll know if you use it," Naruto threatened. Hinata giggled quietly, and promised not to try anything.
She was blindfolded, swept into a pair of strong arms, and carried while Naruto jumped up the edge of something. When they finally stopped moving, the Kyuubi-container told her to stay where she was for a few seconds, and still no peeking. She could hear him rustling around with something. The soft breeze of the warm Konoha night caressed her bare shoulders gently. Hinata suddenly wished she had her sweatshirt, since she'd left it home at home. Naruto had told her he preferred her with it off. That she looked better that way.
"Okay, Hina-chan! I'm ready," she heard Naruto say, his voice breaking her out of her thoughts. A warm, rough hand closed over the soft, smooth flesh of her forearm and tugged her in the direction of something she could not see. When she was settled on something that felt like a sheet, the hand that was not clasping her own came up to untie the blindfold.
"Open your eyes Hina-chan," Naruto said quietly.
He watched as those long, dark lashes fluttered against her pale, flawless cheeks. The lids rose to reveal the snow like eyes underneath. They widened, filling with a shocked appreciation at the sight before them. Then those full, pink lips curved into a warm, bemused smile that made her entire face look absolutely beautiful. Even without all the makeup and expensive silk kimonos…Hyuuga Hinata was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. He suddenly wondered why he'd spent so much time pining over the Uchiha obsessed Sakura.
Not that Sakura wasn't pretty…but Hinata was that elegant kind of beauty that was simply breathtaking any way he saw her. Her heart shaped face had such gentle, but obviously aristocratic, and refined features that any man would stop to look twice. High, angled cheekbones with smooth pale skin lead to a soft, feminine jaw. Her eyes were pale, warm, and the pure color of a flawless white pearl that he was sure could see into his soul. Thick, long black lashes surrounded those piercing eyes; a straight button nose rested beneath them. Her lips were full, soft, and an alluring pink color that always drew his eyes to them whenever she started speaking. Hell…when she wasn't speaking. He felt like an idiot for not seeing her sooner. He felt like the moron everyone said he was for not noticing this amazing person was so interested in him.
"Naruto-kun, it's beautiful," her soft, melodic voice said from beside him.
They sat on top of what she knew was the Hokage monument watching the sun set over the village. The sky seemed to glow with the last rays of the sun, casting brilliant crimson light over the entire sky. It was so beautiful. Even more so because she was sharing it with the person she'd loved since she was eight. His hand still held hers in a firm, warm, and comfortable grip. A glance at him showed her that he was actually watching her reaction. Their eyes locked, and she turned her face to look at him properly.
"Yea…I wanted you to see it," he said. He squeezed her hand, his heart suddenly beating a million miles a minute. On Hinata's side, the butterflies in her stomach were creating a huge Naruto Uzumaki mosh-pit.
"I wanted you to see it with me," he finished, and she was sure her stomach had up and started to jump rope with her small intestine.
"Naruto-kun…I..I want to say something to you…something I've been meaning to say for a very long time," she said, blushing and looking towards their joined hands. Her flush deepened when he entwined their fingers.
"What is it?" he asked in a gentle tone, not wanting to make her too nervous. Those beautiful eyes that seemed to mirror the rising moon came to meet his with so much passion. He almost gasped at the amount of emotion Hinata seemed to be directing at him.
"I..I really like you," she blurted out so fast his brain struggled to grasp it.
"I really like you too Hina-chan," Naruto said with a smile. She sighed and suddenly he was confused.
"No…I mean…oh god…ano…I really like you...more than a friend like you," she tried again, stuttering nervously as she did. Naruto laughed, releasing her hand only to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her close. He leaned his forehead against hers, brushing their noses together lightly.
"I know…" he said, nuzzling her rosy cheek with his.
Her small hands came to rest on his forearms and squeezed a little in her nervousness. Naruto's eyes fell to her plump, inviting looking lips. He slid his hand up over her collar, then her neck…to cup her chin and pull her in. He brushed their lips together softly, almost asking permission to kiss her. He didn't want to offend her. He wanted to take this at her pace…though what he didn't know was that Hinata had been ready for this for years. It was a light kiss…with gentle brushes of tongue against lips..gum..teeth…and of course, tongue. The Hyuuga girl sighed as she allowed the boy she'd always loved to handle her so gently. She could feel him fighting to keep his hands to himself, and that just made her like him that much more.
"Hinata-sama," a deep voice they both recognized said from behind them. They jumped apart, Naruto staring wide eyed and slightly anxiously at the taller, older Hyuuga who was glaring at him. Hinata was flushed so red both boys feared she may just have an aneurism.
"Hiashi-sama wants to speak with you," Neji said. His cousin and the Kyuubi-container made to get up. The chocolate haired nin pinned the latter with a glare.
"You stay there. We need to have a talk," he said with such authority Naruto could do nothing but sit back down. Hinata sent him an apologetic look, and then fixed Neji with a stern one that nearly made him gasp. As far as he knew, she couldn't make faces like that. Then she was gone.
"Hehe…hi Neji…um…well…ab"
"What are your intentions towards Hinata-sama?" Neji asked coolly. Blue eyes just widened as an empty blond head attempted to put his feelings into words that wouldn't sound stupid.
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Hokage Tower
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Tsunade stared down at the list of ninja the eldest Sabaku had brought to her. Shia had been working harder than she thought. After questioning around she'd found that the Akito Head had gone through every record to find the five perfect people to act as the 'Elemental Ninja' for the removal jutsu. Everything seemed to be falling into place, if all these people would agree…just the mere talent of the bunch would give the Uchiha a higher chance of living through this procedure.
"Sabaku no Temari…do you accept this mission?" she asked, turning her gaze up to the green eyed Kunoichi.
"Yes…what do I have to do?" the Sand Jounin asked.
"I've written out the responsibilities of each element for you all to study," the Hokage answered, opening a drawer to shuffle around. She produced a scroll and offered it to the younger woman.
"Take this and study it. Study it like the fate of the world, or your village, or anything else you care about passionately depends on it. No mistakes can be allowed. One mistake could kill him," Tsunade said. Temari seemed surprised, but she tucked the scroll into her pack anyway.
"Arigato Temari-san…I'll inform the rest of them. Please go back to Shia-san and give her this," the Sannin said, holding out a red edged scroll.
"The fire scroll? Do you think it's wise to let her do this with the way she's been lately?" Temari asked in concern. The Hokage sighed.
"Out of all the fire users in our village, she's the one with the best chakra control. She's the one who knows the most about his case, and honestly…she's the one who knows the biology of his body under the Seal the best. It would be disastrous not to use her as the Fire Element," she explained. Temari didn't like it…but she knew the Hokage was right. They'd need all the knowledge about Sasuke's condition they could get to make sure he survived this.
"Hai…I'll give it to her. But please…Gaara is leaving this afternoon so he won't be around to look after her. Please just make sure she's getting enough sleep. She's been killing herself working on this case…and I know you know how she can get when she's trying to cure a patient," the Sand-nin said. Tsunade smiled.
"I do…don't worry. I'll make sure Tadashi-kun keeps a keen eye on her," the Hokage answered. Temari bowed before smiling and heading out the door. She had a fiancé to go save.
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Hyuuga Complex
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Hyuuga Neji had just finished having the 'you hurt my cousin, you die' speech with a thoroughly nervous looking Uzumaki Naruto not too long ago. He trusted the blond with a lot of things…including his own life. However, Hinata's heart was a whole-nother matter. He knew his little cousin had been in love with the jinchuuriki for as long as she was in the academy, to the present time. Naruto was a good guy, but he was an idiot. He was blunt, and a little stupid, and perfectly capable of hurting Hinata without even realizing it. Neji wanted Hinata to be happy, and now she would be…or Naruto would be neutered. His thoughts were interrupted by his younger cousin stepping into the room with one of the most determined faces he'd ever seen grace her features.
"Neji-niisan…I'm sorry you had to find out that way. I had planned on telling you after the date about Naruto-kun and I," she said. He raised a brow.
"So this is a long-term thing?" he asked. She blushed but surprisingly maintained eye contact.
"Naruto-kun said that he likes me too. He sent a messenger bird over here asking me to the movies on Sunday. I want to go…and I will go. No one is going to get in the way of what is happening here. Not you….not father…not the Clan," she said. He almost moved back when she moved forward. Thankfully…he was Hyuuga Neji, and he just didn't do things like that.
"I'm really happy when I'm with Naruto-kun. I promised him I wouldn't tell the Clan before he was ready, and I want you to make that promise with me as well," she said. Neji sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I wasn't planning on coming between the two of you. Honestly, if you're going to be this assertive about it then I can only think that he's a good influence on you. He just needed to be warned," the older Hyuuga said. Hinata looked up at him with narrowed eyes.
"And the Clan? Father?" she asked with a hint of suspicion.
"No worries. I'll tell them nothing," he said. Then she smiled the happiest most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. 'Maybe this will be good for her. That idiot might actually do her some good,' he thought as he escorted the Heiress back to bed.
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Konohagakure Hospital
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Sakura didn't know what to do. She stared horrified at the boy she'd just unceremoniously confessed her undying love to…TWICE. How could she do something like that? It was like she didn't have control over her own mouth. Even if that was the truth; if she hadn't stopped loving him since he'd left…she hadn't meant to say it just like that. She'd meant to make him work at getting back into her favor. She'd meant to make him understand just how much he'd hurt her. Why did her brain want to betray her so badly?
"Sakura…I…"
"Don't…" she interrupted, earning a slight widening of onyx eyes.
"Sasuke-kun…I didn't mean to say that to you…I won't insult you by thinking your stupid enough to believe that it was anything but the truth. It was. But…I can't…I can't let you back in so easily. I can't handle being hurt again Sasuke-kun," she said, her watery green eyes staring at him with almost a pleading look in their depths. His gut clenched uncomfortably and his arms itched to do…something…something to comfort her.
"Sakura…please," he started, stressing the latter word to get her attention. It did…the girl seemed to try to calm herself as she sat in a chair and looked at him.
"I need to be honest with you Sakura…as you might already know…there isn't much time left for me," the Uchiha said.
"Bu"

"No…I think I finally know what I want to say to you. Sakura…" he said, her name coming out as kind of a broken whisper, but his facial expression not changing.
"I'm sorry that I did things the way I did. I was stupid…I was blinded by hate and vengeance, though that still isn't a good enough reason to have done what I did. In reality I know there is no good reason. I fucked up…it's as simple and as complicated as that," the Uchiha began. He saw her fighting to keep herself from crying.
"I went to Orochimaru because he promised me power. I didn't care what he wanted from me as long as I could kill my brother. I tried so hard, for those three years to become cold. I tried to rid myself of any emotion but hate…and it worked. By the time you two found me I'd become a walking vessel of blind hatred and rage. I didn't care about anything…nothing except killing Itachi…or so I thought," he said. He made sure to make eye contact.
"Let me start by saying that as hard as it may be for you to believe…it was not easy for me to walk away from you that night." Her eyes widened and a few stray tears slid over her pale cheeks.
"I never hated you Sakura…you were a little annoying, but in an endearing kind of way. In the way that a woman nags the man she loves, and I felt something for you." Her fists clenched in her lap as he continued.
"I don't know if I loved you. I was far too young at the time to recognize the emotion, and far too unfamiliar with emotions now to think back on it. But I did feel something…for both of you, Naruto as a brother of course. It scared me. After I got the Seal I started to think differently. I thought that severing my bonds with you and Naruto would help me be stronger..but…" he trailed off, trying to think of the best way to explain it as he listened to her slightly labored breathing. Sasuke wanted to be closer to her. He struggled to move in his bed, but the pain in his left side prevented it.
"Sasuke-kun…you shouldn't be moving," Sakura said, rising to push him back down on the bed. 'Well at least it got her over here,' he thought as he grasped her wrist in his functioning hand. He felt her tense in both surprise and a little anxiety. No fear, he noted, she wasn't scared so that was at least something good…right?
"Sakura…I know I hurt you both…physically and mentally. At the time…at the time I was trying to break the bond and finding it impossible. I don't think I ever truly severed it, and it infuriated me…" he said. She tugged her arm, trying to get away.
"Infuriated you that you were attached to such weaklings like us?" she cried out hysterically.
"Infuriated me because I felt ANYTHING Sakura!" he shouted back, shocking both of them with his outburst. But this needed to be done. It was the only way to get through to her. He pulled her back in close, their faces barely a breath away.
"I didn't want to feel anything Sakura. I wanted to be numb! I didn't want to care about people who'd eventually end up leaving me like everyone else did! Do you know what it's like? To lose everything you've ever cared about?" he asked in a slightly distressed, and considerably quieter tone. Her head hung, and her bangs obscured her eyes from his vision. He felt her tremble harshly. He could see the tears falling from her face. He could hear the sniffles.
"Yes…yes Sasuke-kun I do," she said quietly, her voice quivering violently.
"No, my whole family wasn't killed…but four years ago the person who I loved more than anything up and walked out of my life like I didn't even matter. I offered him everything. EVERYTHING to make him stay but he just walked away like it was nothing," she said, her crying becoming more fierce. Sasuke did something then that topped off his night of strange behavior by far. He pulled her into him and crushed her in a one-armed, but strong embrace.
"It wasn't nothing..." he whispered into her hair.
"It was never nothing…I was just too stupid to see how much I needed you all. Listen Sakura…because I am likely to never admit this ever again…I, Uchiha Sasuke, could not live if Naruto, Kakashi, and you…YOU, were not here with me. I realized that…after being holed up in this hospital for about a month. No matter how many times I tried to kill you all…I could never do it…I could never severe the bond that is between us," he said as she shook with sobs against him. Sasuke entwined some of that soft…silky, pink hair between his fingers.
"Thank you for forgiving me…I could never expect you to forget…but I do hope that we can move on. Because you and the others are all I have left now. If I didn't have you I'd be alone again, and I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake twice," he finished.
"Sasuke-kun…" was all she said, nuzzling her face into his shoulder as her sobs started to calm. He continued to futz with the strands of hair in his hand until she was fully calm.
"You should go home and think about everything I've said today. I'm tired now…and I'm sure you are after everything that happened here. Sleep…no doubt you'll be here with Shia-san in the morning," he said. She lifted her head to look at him.
Her face was so close it made him slightly uneasy. After a few seconds of sniffling and wiping her eyes she seemed to be okay. Once again those jade eyes locked with his pitch black ones. Her small hand came to rest over his slowly weakening heart beat. Sorrow etched over her features for a moment, because she knew it shouldn't be so weak. Sasuke slid his hand out of her hair, slightly puzzled with how okay he was with their proximity. However…his thoughts were brought to a screeching halt when she smiled. Warm, and loving…the way she used to smile at him, but with more history behind it. With more understanding and the slightest hint of pain.
"Goodnight…Sasuke-kun," she said as she pulled herself off of him. Suddenly he was cold.
"Goodnight," he said with a nod.
Sasuke's eyes followed his ex-teammate until she was gone. He knew he still had a lot of work to do concerning the both of them…but…what had been said today would likely make things easier with Sakura. As for Naruto…the blond understood his reasoning behind leaving. He didn't like it; but he understood. The Kyuubi-container had pretty much guessed why he'd been so violent to them, almost hitting the whole "trying to severe the bond" idea on the head. Apparently he wasn't as much of a 'Dobe' as the Uchiha had first thought. That wouldn't stop him from calling him that. He'd always known it would be easier with Naruto than Sakura. He'd hurt the blond, but Naruto had understood why from the very beginning.
As for Kakashi…the Jounin had been to see him a few times since he woke up. He also understood Sasuke's reasoning behind fleeing the village. In not so many words the Copy-nin had let him know how much of an idiot he'd been for doing so. After his talks with Kakashi, Sasuke always felt like he should regret leaving. However, he didn't want to do that anymore. He didn't want to dwell on the past so much. What happened happened, and there was nothing he could do to change it. Yes, he still intended to kill Uchiha Madara..but this time he'd do it with the people who he knew cared about him. The people he knew he cared about, no matter how emotionally stunted he was. It'd take him some time to sort his emotions out, but again, he was willing to try.
Deciding he didn't want to think anymore…Uchiha Sasuke allowed himself to fall asleep…he vaguely wondered if he'd wake up again in the morning…
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People who are Important: Book Two