Kawaiinojutsu45, CandaceHill and csd14ll I love you guys!! Special shoutout since you three are the ONLY ONES who commented last chapter!! :D

As for everyone else, shame on you!! At this moment there are 180 reads on prev chapter, and only three actually commented! I was so disappointed! >~

So please comment on this chappy gaiz. I made the end part especially cute X3

Read away!! :D

- - -

"Naruto! Naruto it's amazing!" I exclaimed as he entered with Sasuke, a huge grin on his face, "I can feel in my left leg again! Pinch me!" he looked unsure, so I urged, "Go on, do it!"

He did. I yelped in pain and hit him over the head, then grinned, "See! The Doctor said that this means my leg's getting better!"

"What about your other leg?" he asked, unthinkingly. Sasuke hit him, as my smile dimmed.

"Still not working." my smile brightened, "But I can walk on one, using crutches! Which means soon I won't be stuck in here anymore!"

I did a little happy dance with my arms, probably looking extremely retarded in my bed, but not caring. I was in the best mood I had been in for ages.

"My physio starts tomorrow, so I'll be up and walking around in no time!" I exclaimed happily, causing a smile to form on each of their faces.

Naruto in particular looked as though he was going to cry. He rushed over and hugged me, "I'm so glad you're better, Sachi-chan! You got so sad before, it wasn't right, 'ttebayo!"

I smiled guiltily, wrapping my arms around him, "Sorry. But you know me, I have to be on the move constantly. Endorphins and all that."

He leaned back and grinned, which I reflected. I then looked over at Sasuke, thinking about the reasons for my good mood. He had a murderous expression on his face, making me force down a laugh. He looked quite cute when angry.

"So how long until you can leave the hospital?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Hopefully in about three weeks, if physio goes well. It all depends on that, though." I answered truthfully, frowning slightly. "It's going to take a while to get back in shape again, I've barely moved for a few months." and everything's starting to sag... I thought grimly, poking my softened belly. I miss my muscles...

I wriggled slightly in anticipation, which again brought my attention to the foreign feeling at my spine. When they had operated, they had encased that small part of my spine in a metal chain-like casing. I could still move that part, but not as well as before, so I would have to be extra careful.

When I stopped daydreaming, I realised that Naruto was gone.

"Eh? Where'd he go?" I exclaimed, and Sasuke frowned.

"The dobe said something about a 'ero-sennin' then ran off." he told me, shaking Sakura off irately as she tried to cling to him.

"Sasuke-kun, let's go on a date!" she exclaimed, and my jaw clenched, my hand rubbing my stomach as that bitter feeling settled once again.

"No." he said bluntly. "Go train or something."

I tuned out of the ensuing argument, just as Kakashi seemed to be doing, sitting myself up with much effort. I sighed. My arms had weakened a lot, too.

"Sasukeeeee?" I whined, interrupting Sakura halfway through a sentence. I looked up at the Uchiha with big eyes.

He twitched slightly; he knew from spending a lot of time with me recently what that expression meant, "What?"

"Can you do something for me pleeeeeaseee?" I asked, dragging out the last word. He folded his arms, sighing.

"Fine. What is it?"

"Well-"

Sakura interrupted, infuriated, "Why would you agree to do something for her so readily, Sasuke-kun?!"

"'Cause he knows I'll keep bugging him if he doesn't~" I explained in a singsong tone, and Sasuke continued.

"And she'll give me the silent treatment when I come see her tomorrow." he said, while I nodded in agreement. Sakura's mouth fell open.

"You're coming to see her again tomorrow?!"

"Yes, Sakura. While I don't see that it's any of your business, there's no harm telling you that I have seen Sachi every day for the past month and a half." he said. Sakura looked torn between fury and breaking down sobbing.

"But why, Sasuke-kun?!" she exclaimed, growing hysterical now, "Do you love her?!"

And there it was. The elephant in the room, that Sasuke didn't seem to know how to answer. I couldn't help waiting to hear what he would say. If he said no, I had a feeling it would cripple me. But I didn't know how I would feel if he said yes.

Before any of us could react, he turned and slammed the window open, leaping out of it. I scrambled to get out of the bed, but Kakashi held me back. I vented on the surprised-looking Sakura.

"You idiot!! Why did you confront him like that?! What makes you think you have the right to ask him such questions, it has nothing to do with you!!" I shouted, my voice slowly getting louder and louder as Kakashi held me back from hurting the pink-haired bitch, "You're not his girlfriend, and probably never will be, so stop being so pathetic and butt out!!"

It was a few seconds before a nurse came in, looking worried. She rushed over to me, pretty much shoving Kakashi out of the way (hot-damn she was strong!!) and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Are you okay, Sachiko-san?! Your heart rate got really high for a moment there!" she exclaimed.

"I'm fine, just got a little... angry, is all." I sighed, prying my hands away from the bedcovers.

"Oh, all right then. You had me worried, chica." she told me with a relieved smile. I smiled half-heartedly back at her.

"Naw, I'm okay, thanks, Marian." I said. She stared at me for a while, before turning to the bruised Kakashi and Sakura.

"Visiting time is over." she spoke sternly, with her thick accent, "You'll have to leave now."

"But it's only four PM!" Sakura said confusedly. Marian frowned at her.

"Sachi has been overexcited, she needs to rest. Do not back chat me, girlie." she said with her scary face. That was one of the things I loved about my assigned nurse. She didn't take any crap. But then, that was also one of the things I disliked, since she didn't let me get away with anything.

Sakura looked about ready to pee herself, and even Kakashi looked mildly terrified.

"O-okay! I'm sorry, m-ma'am!!" Sakura stammered, and I bit my lip to contain my snickers. Marian paraded Kakashi and Sakura out of the room, shutting the door, then turned to me with a concerned expression, black ponytail swinging an arc.

"I know what that look was." she said ominously, before parking her butt in the chair by my bed, "You're having boy trouble."

My face flushed, and I shook my head.

"Nope. No boy trouble. I don't even know any boys." I denied quickly, and she rose an eyebrow.

"What about your teammates, Naruto and Sasuke?" she asked. My face flared, and I shook my head stubbornly.

"Nope!! They don't count!!" I exclaimed, but she just smiled.

"Ah. So it's one of those two, huh, chica?" she asked, and I sighed. She was too smart. Stupid half Nara Spanish person.

"Yes..." I told her, defeated. Marian tapped her bottom lip.

"Naruto, then?" she asked slowly, then smiled, "I adore him. He is so cute, and I can tell he would be good to you-"

"No." I shook my head, weirded out by the idea of dating Naruto. He was like a goofy brother, dating him would practically be incest. I shuddered.

Meanwhile, Marian stared at me.

"Sasuke?!" she exclaimed, "But Chica, I wouldn't have thought he'd be your type at all! He's all quiet and moody and you're so happy and bubbly!"

I fiddled with my bedsheets, unable to meet her eyes, then whispered, "Ino-nee-chan said she thinks I love him."

I tensed, half expecting her to laugh and say 'Oh, you're way too young for that!', so her real reaction really surprised me.

Her eyes softened and she pulled me into a warm, motherly hug, "If that's true, then you need to do something about it, Chica."

"I know..." I mumbled into her uniform, my cheeks red at the thought. How could I tell him? Could I really leave myself open like that?

I suppose I would find out.

- - -

"Easy, easy." I scowled at Sasuke as he said that; it wasn't like I was going to run off, was it? I physically couldn't.

"Shut up." I grunted, gripping tightly to him with one arm and the physiotherapy bar with the other, as I tried to force my burning leg to hold some weight. At the moment, my arms were doing all of the work, since the muscles in my legs had vastly deteriorated. I needed to get them strong enough that I could hobble around on crutches and not fall over myself constantly.

After half an hour of failing at walking, the Doctor said to take a break, and we'd try again this afternoon. I scowled, but did as I was told; I was exhausted, so much so that my limbs were shaking. I collapsed onto my bed, breathing hard.

Throwing my pillow across the room angrily, I snarled, "Why is this so hard?!"

Calmly, Sasuke went and picked up the pillow, placing it back on my bed and taking my hands so that I couldn't throw it again.

"Don't worry, you'll get it eventually. It'll just take a while. You haven't used your legs in quite a while, they're bound to be shaky." he said, and I pulled my hands from his grip and rolled over onto my front, my face in my arms.

"You don't understand!" I muffled, "It's so depressing, not being able to do so much. I never realised how much I took certain things for granted."

Sasuke chuckled, and I felt myself being lifted up by my waist.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that; I don't speak muffle language." he smirked, turning me so that I sat facing him. I folded my arms and scowled at him, my lower lip jutting out.

"Oh ha ha, very funny." I said, and he smiled.

"Don't stick your lip out like that or something will bite it." he said, a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite decipher. Even so, my cheeks coloured and I did as I was told, retracting my lip and pulling from his grip once again.

"I swear, it's like you're a completely different person." I muttered, catching his attention, "Your emoness has vanished."

He blinked at me, then plopped down on the bed with a thoughtful expression.

"It's your fault, you know." he concluded finally, his arms folded, "I'm comfortable around you, I suppose."

I frowned, "What does that mean?"

His eyes finally met mine, so conflicted that I couldn't speak, "It means that something about you is changing my perspective." he murmured, frowning, "The real question is whether that's a good thing..."

The raven stood up suddenly, and went to the window.

"Where are you going?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"I... need to think." and with that, he was gone. For some reason, I felt like crying.

A few days passed with no sign of him, and I was mildly disgusted at how anxiously I waited for the tap of his zori (ninja sandals) on the windowsill. I had become worse than Sakura, so obsessed with seeing him that it hurt. I found it pathetic, how quickly I had fallen.

When I finally did hear that much awaited sound of sandals on wood, I couldn't deny the rush of relief that surged through my system. I tried to be angry, but I just couldn't manage it.

"You missed alot." I murmured, focusing still on the night sky through the window. I didn't miss his apologetic expression.

"Sorry. I wanted to be there for your physio, but..." he rubbed the back of his neck, then sat down next to me on the bed, "Any progress?"

"No." I said, the slightest tinge of bitterness seeping into my tone, "So really, you didn't miss anything."

Rather than saying anything, he just hooked an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. When I glanced up, a blush coloured his cheeks. I hid my face in his neck, closing my eyes.

"I missed you." I whispered, too quiet for him to hear.

"Hm?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"Nothing." Nothing at all...

I opened my eyes again, and my gaze fell on the black mark on his neck. I sat bolt upright, fear striking to my core.

"Sasuke... on your neck..." I breathed, "What is that?!"

He immediately covered it with his hand, "It's nothing. A bruise. That's all."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Don't lie to me!"

"Just drop it, Sachi! It's not important!" he begged, and I stared at him. I then dropped my gaze, giving in, even though I didn't like it.

"Fine." I muttered, folding my arms. I decided to be brave, and leaned back against him, half tensed and awaiting rejection. Surprisingly, the only reply I got was him shifting slightly to lean comfortably against the wall.

"Sasuke." I heard him hum in acknowledgement, and bit my lip, feeling him playing with a strand of my hair (that was up in a permanent ponytail at that moment). "Never mind." I said quickly, wussing out.

Sasuke grunted, "I'm curious now." he shifted, "Tell me."

I shook my head rapidly, "No way!"

"Make me!" I exclaimed, pushing away, my expression expectant as I waited for him to back down. But instead, he smirked.

"Maybe I will!" he retorted, pinning me down with one hand while the other raked over my ribs, making me squeal.

"Gah, stop it!!" I exclaimed, desperately trying to roll away from the tickling, but not succeeding. I was laughing so hard that tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Tell me!" he said, over my squeals.

"Never!" I spluttered, swatting at him. He grabbed both of my wrists, and then stopped, staring at me. My cheeks grew hot, and I looked away, only to look back again in surprise at the sensation that I soon realised was his lips pressing against mine.

One of my arms found itself winding around his neck, and I pushed up using the other. I couldn't describe the explosion of sensations that coursed through my body at that moment if I tried, but it was a real rush. If I could I would have jumped up and ran around screaming, on high.

When we broke apart, both of us were breathing hard. We stared at each other in silence for a long while, before Sasuke finally deigned to roll off of me and allow me easy breathing. Even so, it was a comfort to feel his presence there.

"So... what happens now?" I whispered into the darkness. Now that the excitement was fading, a sense of dread and foreboding was creeping over me. I wasn't sure why, and it mildly irritated me; it was poisoning the happiness I felt from what just happened.

"I..." there was a brief pause, "I want you to be my girlfriend, Sachi."

I couldn't say anything. There were a thousand things I wanted to say, but the ability of speech seemed to like abandoning me in times of need.

So instead, I just reached out, and laced my fingers through his. Chewing my lip, I murmured, blushing;

"You're still a Shady Uchiha. Just... my Shady Uchiha."

A chuckle sounded from the boy next to me, and he replied;

"I can live with that."

- - -

For once, I don't have much to say here, except:

THE END IS NEAR!!

But don't worry, there WILL be a sequel. And I'm confident that you guys are gonna love ittttt~!!

Well, vote&& commentt!!! :D