Bound by Love (a SasuSaku Fanfic)

Chapter seventeen: The Unforgettable Train Ride

Chapter Seventeen: The Unforgettable Train Ride

"The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving. I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody. I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences."

- Elizabeth Gilbert

It had felt strange.. The raven walked his usual confident stride; the cherry blossom close beside by habit. "But Sasuke, we can walk back to the village. It's what, a day and a half from here?" But Sasuke insisted "Sakura I have been walking the past two weeks. I plan on coming back, so who cares if I'm seen on a train." The five (Karin tagged along.) had been less than half an hour from a nearby village. On train it'd only be two hours from Suna. Though a walk from Suna to the leaf would take one day.

The red haired medical ninja surprisingly hadn't been hanging all over Sasuke, she was too busy using Suigetsu as a punching bag. Jugo leaned in and said in a hushed tone, "hey, Sakura.. I managed to get your bag from the hotel." Sakura simply smiled back and thanked the sweet man. The smell of rain after a storm.. It had been too beautiful to describe. Something in the air had just been different.. Like a huge weight was lifted. The sky was brighter, and not necessarily referring to the actual forecasting weather.

Everything the kunoichi ever wanted was now in front of her.. So why had she felt so uneasy? At her side was the man she had loved since academy days, and watching Karin and Suigetsu fight-- it had only made her miss and yearn for her best friend and teammate Naruto. She couldn't fathom everyday life without Sasuke Uchiha in the picture again. Long nights at the hospital, hours and money spent at the ramen shop with Sai, Naruto and Kakashi. Could life possibly continue like after he left again? Could life go back to the days before he left..? Of course not.. But it hadn't mattered, because at this moment of time Sakura genuinely believed any future with her childhood love would be a good one.

"I'll go buy our tickets. Stay here with Jugo and Suigetsu." Sasuke demanded, soon disappearing in the stations large crowds. Easily slipping through a colony of people, the avenger began digging in his pocket at the line waiting to purchase tickets. He had already started regretting this next move, but it had to be done..

"Yes sir, how can I help you?" Asked a younger man, who couldn't have been much older than Sasuke himself. He was tall, had dark eyes, long brown hair, and wore glasses.

"Yes, when does the next train to Suna leave?"

"The next train to Suna leaves in 40 minutes, though passengers must be on the train 10 minutes before departure. How many people will be traveling?"

Sasuke stared into space for a moment, in obvious deep thought, as if he was having serious conflicting issues. She made him so happy, and when they were together-- he could be himself. He didn't have to be a quiet stern heartless jerk. She made Sasuke look forward to life... He actually now had something-- someone, to lose... And that's why he's doing this.. Tobi could have blown her off this planet if he wanted, and Sasuke couldn't knowingly stay with her knowing just what danger the cherry blossom could run into..

"Only one."

X X X X X X

The pink headed kunoichi stood there waiting nearly the transportation device's door tiredly, bag in hand.

"All passenger's to Suna, departure is in thirty minutes. We will be departing in thirty minutes, thank you." Said a masculine voice over an intercom. Sakura turned to team Hebi, "are you guys coming with?" She asked with a trace of doubt. It was unlikely.. "No princess, we're here to see you off.. You and Sasuke." Said Suigetsu with a hint of sadness. "Well I'm happy I had gotten to meet all of you.. Suigetsu." Sakura then gave the white haired water boy a hug, resulting in his smile ear to ear, sharp teeth exposed. "Jugo" she said shifting a step over, pulling the towering man to her height and giving him a platonic peck on the cheek. The orange haired shy man hadn't ever been more shocked, face so red you'd think he was about to faint. Taking one more side step, eyes level with Karin, one hand on her hip. "I even enjoyed your presence, Karin. Very briefly." But the sassy female scoffed in response, but held a small smirk.

"Sakura. Mine's in my pocket" Said a sudden emotionally distant Uchiha, one ticket in his extended arm; the other hand deep in his pocket. Sasuke had been looking down at the ground as he spoke, fore he couldn't stand to look at her just yet..

Soon enough, Jugo had gotten aboard and placed the cherry blossom's bags overhead. Sakura, who took a seat closest to the window, stared out at people passing in the busy station and yawned. "10 minutes until departure, all passengers to Suna. Ten minutes to departure." " I better go get Sasuke." Said Jugo, disappearing from sight within seconds. The rosette sighed. What had taken him so long..?

Suddenly, a man came down the train's rows, taking count of everyone. "Alright we're all here. Lock the doors." He shouted. Sakura immediately stood, "No, that can't be right. M-my male friend he-- he's still out there!! Unlock the doors!" She demanded, and doubtful, she didn't what to believe what she had subconsciously known.. "Look lady, your friend must've lied through his teeth 'cause there's all 58 people here that bought a ticket to Suna."

Her heart had fallen just after being picked up... Sakura just dropped, and turned her head to the window, unsure how to cope with the pain.. Especially as jade met onyx one more time. The kunoichi furrowed her brows, tears about to fall, her chest burning. She then placed her pale palm against the glass, and although he couldn't hear her verbally, when she mouthed the word 'why'; the raven turned away hurt even more than she... It had been for the best...

Just as the mechanism started off, becoming further and further, those hurt eyes never once looked away from Sasuke.. And that hand on the glass had never fallen until the last moment of seeing her.. "Sasuke.. Why'd you tell her you'd go home and do this.." Said Suigetsu, a mutual gloomy silence sitting over the three boys. Sasuke stared off into the the distant, where Sakura had sat inside the train; staring with a broken heart. "Because.. If she would have asked me one more time.. I couldn't have said no.."