SasuSaku Forever Path part 8

I do NOT own Naruto.

Her eyes widened as Kyo's arms encircled her waist, and his head rested against her back. She wrestled away from his grip and turned to face him. She looked away from the sad eyes that pierced her.

"It's because of Sasuke isn't it?"

Her silence gave him his answer, and he sighed, "Sakura, please. I'll do anything for you. Just stay with me and don't forget me."He tilted her face up and forced her to look at him for several moments, his face inching closer.

Sasuke walked out of the distance  with his head down. He realized that Sakura and Kyo were standing there and jumped behind a tree and watched.

Sakura noticed Sasuke presence and thought, I want him to feel my pain. So she reached up, kissed Kyo, and said, "I could never forget you."
****************************************************************
Naruto didn't know how to feel. He was happy, because he had confessed his love to Yui, and she had accepted him and even loved him. But he was also worried because he knew Sakura and Sasuke loved each other, but Sakura and Kyo were together now, and Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. He just hoped that his friends would be happy.
*****************************************************************
Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke for a while, and today was the day of the festival. She would be going with Kyo, and Naruto with Yui, but she wondered about Sasuke.

Sakura walked into Yui's room to give her a daily check up, but when she walked in she saw Yui sitting up in her bed, hands shaking in front of her, and Naruto standing beside her worriedly.

Yui looked at Sakura and spilled tears. Sakura was confused. Blind people can't cry, right? Sakura heard her cry, "I...I can see again! My sight's come back!" Sakura finally understood. The tears were of joy.

Yui wrapped her arms around Naruto and she pressed her lips against his. (I would give details but this is a SasuSaku story)

Sakura smiled and was about to leave when she heard Yui say, "Ano, Sakura-san? I know you love Sasuke and are hurt by him, but did you ever think that he was more hurt than you? Perhaps that is the reason why he's gone. I know that you thought I loved him, but I don't. I love Naruto."

Sakura said nothing and left. Once the sunlight brushed her face, Yui's words slapped her. What if Yui was right? Could Sasuke be hurt more than her? She didn't ever think of his feelings.

"Oi! Sakura! Let's go to the festival. Naruto and Yui will meet us later." Kyo called behind her.

The festival was beautiful. The fireworks were like blooming flowers. But Sakura couldn't feel the beauty. She felt that something was missing. She looked at Kyo's laughing face and realized it. Sasuke was missing. She wanted to be with Sasuke.

"Kyo-kun," she said slowly, "I don't think I should be here with you."

It could have been her imagination but his face seemed to darken. With a quiet apology, she ran to search for Sasuke. Suddenly she heard a familiar yell: Naruto's. She ran in Naruto's direction and froze. Yui was motionless on the ground and the same dark figure held a struggling Naruto by the throat.

With a cry, she punched the dark man, but a shadow replaced him. Suddenly, Kyo stood among the shadows, with a cruel cold smirk.

"Sakura, I love you. So I can't let anyone else have you."

Suddenly, he staggered back and a silver blade sprouted from his chest. He fell to the ground into his own bloody pool, and Sasuke stood before Sakura.

A murderous laugh echoed behind them, and Naruto was thrown to the ground. The dark man said, "I have drained most of your friends' energy. They were fools to have opposed me. I see you have killed Kyo. He was useless anyway. Couldn't kill the spirit-vessel or the Konoha kunoichi. But I can get a stonger person, isn't that right, Uchiha?"

Suddenly his eyes flashed black and he seemed to glow. Sasuke couldn't move. Literally. He lost control over his body, and it felt like the dark man controlled him. The curse marks began to cover his skin and he struggled to look at Sakura. He was drowning.

"Run, Sakura."

Sakura felt fear crawl in the edges of her mind. She cried, "No! I won't leave you! I won't let him hurt you!"

Sasuke lunged at her with Chidori, and she barely managed to dodge. She ran straight to the dark man, but Sasuke Jumped in front of her.

The dark man sneered, "Don't try to attack me. I'll just taked your strenght like I did to your friends." Sakura thought quietly, it seems like he's using all of the stolen chakra and strengh to control Sasuke-kun.

"S-Sakura...please...just...run away.." Sasuke pleaded.

Sakura felt ripped in half seeing Sasuke begging in pain. Begging for her life. Tears flowed from her eyes. She couldn't see him like this. She couldn't stand it. She ran up to him, embraced him and cried, "I won't leave you! I swear! I won't cause you pain anymore!" She felt Sasuke struggle in her grip. She looked up at his face, stood on her toes, and kissed him. Sasuke froze, eyes wide, and then closed hi eyes as strength flooded into him. He was regaining control over his body. He wasn't drowning anymore, because Sakura had pulled him up and given him warmth. He held Sakura tightly and kissed her back, tasting sweet lips. Sakura's tears stopped, and when they broke apart, she rested her head against his chest. Sasuke whispered, "Thankyou Sakura. As long as your mine, I won't be in pain. Thank you."
The dark man growled, "Uchiha, you're lucky. I'll kill the girl before it's your turn!"

Sasuke held Sakura closer to him and glared at the man. The man staggered back as Sasuke activated the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Sasuke said, "I won't let you." The man collapsed to the ground, for Sasuke burned his mind with torture. Naruto and Yui stirred and awakened, their strength returning to them.

Sasuke felt faint, and his eyes weared from the Mangekyou. But having Sakura beside him filled him with great power that seemed to heal him. He noticed Sakura looking at the sky and smile. She said, "The festival is still going on. How about a date?" Instead of his normal smirking, he smiled truely. "I'd like that."

That night, Sakura never felt happier. The fireworks were dazzling above their heads. But the biggest firework was when Sasuke held her hand tightly and kissed her tenderly. He whispered in her ear, "Marry me?" Sakura had only one answer:

"Yes I want to be with you forever."